Charmed
by Nicolet Jenine Bloom
Summary: AU. Nikki and her sisters become the Charmed ones. Nikki needs to balance being a Charmed One and a bodygaurd all the while keeping her witchcraft a secret from her co workers. Not as easy as it sounds. N/J shippiness
1. Something Wicca In VIP Comes

****

Charmed

AN: This another AU story. A fusion with Charmed in which Nikki and her sisters, (just humor me.) are witches. I'm going to try an keep everything else the same. Note that I said Try.

~*~

Nikki was sitting in the VIP office thinking about recent events. Everyone around her was busy so they didn't seem notice her zoning out. She had just moved back in with her sisters yesterday after her gandmother died. She and Natalie had been playing with the spirit board and when she had left to get a drink and came back Natalie was claiming that the spirit board had moved on its own and wanted them to go to the attic. The attic that had been locked forever that they couldn't open. After the three had argued about the possibility and Nina had left the room she had seen the spirit board move. Which was completely impossible.

_'I must have been imagining it….'_ She thought to herself. While they had been arguing the lights had went out. She and Nina had gone to the basement to fix the circuit breaker while Natalie went to the attic. After fixing the lights Nina and her went up to the attic to find Natalie who had not only managed to get but was convinced they were witches. _'She's taking Grams's death a little hard.'_ This morning she had tried to explain what they're powers were and which one she was hoping for and about warlocks and demons that would attack to try and get they're powers. Nikki would have nothing of it.

"Nik? Hey Nik you still with us?" Tasha said waving a hand in front of her face.

"huh? Oh yea, what?" Nikki asked looking up to see everyone staring at her.

"Let's go then." Tasha said.

"Go where?"

"Where were you Jupiter? We have to go meet a client."

"Right. I knew that." She said standing up and grabbing her keys. _'Maybe moving back in with my sisters wasn't the greatest idea afterall…'_

~*~

VIP sat around a table talking to their newest client, Jeremy Burns, who was being awfully evasive on why he needed protection.

"Look, We can't protect you if we don't know what we're protecting you from." Tasha said.

"Why not? You just have to protect me." Jeremy said. Tasha threw her hands up in defeat.

"Fine. " Tashsa relented, "But I still don't see why you can't tell us." 

"It could place you in too much danger."

"That's our job!!!" 

"Tasha! Chill out!" Nikki said.

"Whatever. "

"Nikki and I will take the first shift." Quick put in. The others agreed and left.

"I have a meeting across town so if you don't mind leaving now." Jeremy said.

"Not a problem." Quick replied. The three of them headed to the door when gunshots sounded. Quick went and moved to pull Jeremy behind a wall to protect him from the shots, but wasn't going to make it. Nikki, whose normal first reaction would be to dodge behind a wall and pull out her guns to fire back, threw her hands up instead. Everything froze around her, including the bullets about to hit Jeremy.

"Wha..?" She said. "Oh my god….Nat was right. Oh uh uh." She ran over to Jremy and grabbed the bullets and threw them to the ground, "Hot hot hot!" She qucikly ran back to her previous position wondering when time was going to go back to normal. On instinct she waved her hands again and time resumed. She dodged behind the wall and grabbed her guns so nothing looked too out of the ordinary. Quick pulled Jeremy away from the fallen bullets and looked at them oddly. Nikki went to shoot the attackers but they had run away.

"What the hell?" Quick said out loud. Nikki went over to see what he was talking about while putting her guns back. "The bullets that were fired at Jeremy are on the ground." Quick informed Nikki, "How is that possible?"

Nikki shrugged, "I have no idea…" She lied, "But lets not count our blessings…we should get Mr. Burns to his meeting…" She said trying to change the subject. Quick gave her an odd look wondering why she wasn't fazed, but agreed with the last statement and went to the parking lot the Quick's prowler. While driving Jeremy gave Quick directions on where to go.

Evetually they came to an abandoned building.

"I somehow doubt that you have a meeting here." Nikki remarked.

"Actually, I don't have a meeting at all. I come here for the view, I wanted to show it to you." He said looking at Nikki. She raised an eyebrow.

"Riight…." Nikki said, glaring at Quick who was smirking. Jeremy was getting out of the car.

"Coming?"

"Yea yea." Nikki said getting out of the car. Quick moved to get out of the car but Jeremy stopped him.

"Why don't you stay here? Keep an eye out for attackers." Quick gave him the look this time.

"Alright…"

Nikki and Jeremy headed into the building.

~*~

Nikki and Jeremy were standing in front of a rickety looking elevator.

"If you think I'm going on that your crazy." Nikki pointed out.

"Come on. I'm going and as my bodyguard you have an obligation to follow." He said walking into the elevator.

Nikki followe reluctantly, "I hate it when clients realize this…" She muttered. Jeremy laughed.

~*~

Quick was in the car talking to Kay and the gang explaining the bullets, and how Jeremy seemed to have a thing for Nikki.

~*~

"I didn't know bullets coukd just fall out of the air!" Val said.

"They can't Val." Tasha remarked dryly, "What did Nikki think iof it?" she asked Quick.

"That was another odd thing, " Quick answered over the phone, "She just brushed it off. She's been acting weird all day."

"You said Jeremy's taken a liking to Nikki?" Val asked, bored with the talk about the bullets.

"Yep. Brought us out to an abandoned building to show her the view. Apparently it's not something he wants to share with me." Quick answered, smirking on his end.

~*~

Nikki was tapping her foot impatiently wating for the elevator to stop.

"Nikki, turn around." Sighing, Nikki turned around to look at Jeremy. A knife appeared in his hand in a puff of red smoke, he took a swing at her. Ducking, Nikki grabbed a loose bored and hit him with it. He stumbled back into the wall of the now stopped elevator. Nikki ran to the open side and went to climb up onto the floor they were only halfway up. She wasn't one to take on a fight with some one who could make a knife appear out of nowhere. She was climbing up when he grabbed her ankle, she was pulled back into the elevator. He raised the knife to attack her again. She threw her hands up and froze him.

"How useful.." She muttered and climbed up onto the floor and ran hoping he would stay frozen for awhile. She ran to the stairs and ran down taking two at a time, absently hoping not to fall. When she reached the second floor she got the feeling that he was unfrozen. She ran faster.

~*~

Quick was laughing at a comment that Val had made when he saw Nikki running out of the building, "Hold on." He told the gang and looked up at Nikki, "Where's Jeremy?"

Nikki stopped running to catch her breath, "I was forced to terminate his contract." She said, "Look, I'll explain later….something came up and I really need to go home." She took off running again. Luckily the manor wasn't to far away from this building.

Quick blinked and looked at the direction Nikki ran and put the phone to his ear again, "I got to go.." He said distractedly and hung up.

~*~

Kay blinked as she heard the dial tone and hung up the phone, "What do you think happened?"

~*~

Nikki ran into the manor to see Natalie and Nina talking in the living room. She turned and locked and bolted the door.

"Nats was right…" She said.

"I know." Nina said, "Apparently I can move things when I'm mad. And Phoebe has premonitions…"

"Yea well…She was right about the warlocks thing to. My newest client…well…we need more protection against him then he needs from VIP." The three sisters looked at each other for a moment before running up the stairs to the attic and the book of shadows.

~*~

Quick got out of the car to go find Jeremy when said person came running out of the building holding a knife, he galred at Quick, and ran in the direction that Nikki had run. Quick got in his car and went to VIP. He was sure Nikki could handle herself. He called Kay and asked for a background check on Jeremy. He wanted to be there in person to read it.

~*~

"I have no idea what we're looking for.." Natalie said flipping through the book, "Which would help…"

"Well, don't give up… We need to get rid of this guy…" Nina said. Nikki jumped when she heard the door downstairs slam open.

"Crap." Nikki said.

"Wait…I have an idea…" Nina said, "Remember what was written on the back of the spirit board?"

"The power of three will set us free?" Natalie asked putting the book down, "It's worth a shot." The three sisters joined hands. Nina used her powers to moved a dresser and other objects in front of the attic door. 

"You don't get it do you?" a disembopdied voice rang through the house, "You can't beat me!" The baracade flew away from the door and the door flew with it. Jeremy stood there with his knife. 

"The power of three will set us free. The power of three will set us free. The power of three will set us free."" The sisters chanted. Jeremy threw an energy ball at them, which got defelected by a sheild created by the spell. The sisters kept chanting til' Jeremy screamed and disappeared. The three collapsed on the floor.

"That was so totally cool!" Natalie excalimed, "Our first vanquish!" Nina and Nikki glared at her.

"How am I going to explain this at work?" Nikki asked.

~*~

Kay shook her head, "There's nothing on him." She said to Quick who was looking over her shoulder.

"I find it hard to believe he just decided to kill Nikki. And why go through so much trouble to get us to protect him?

"Maybe we should ask Nikki." Johnny said.

"Where did she go again?" Val asked.

"She said she was headed home…" Quick said.

"On foot?" 

"Yea…"

Kay typed something into her computer, "It's not to big a deal her new place isn't too far away from where you were actaully…" Kay gave them the address.

"Let's go." Tasha said. The group went to their cars, (or motorcycle) and headed to the address Kay had given them.

~*~ 

20 minutes later…

Nina, Nikki and Natalie stood by their demolished door.

"Y'know he could have at least left the door on it hinges…" Nina remarked. Nikki and Natalie went over to the door and both picked it up and set it on the wall next to the door way.

"I didn't realize our door was that heavy." Nikki said. She looked up as she saw the VIP group pull up, "Uh oh…" She smiled nervously to her sisters and they attmepted an explanation..which amazingly has satisfied the group.

~*~

AN: I was going to write up the explanation but I'm tired and I want to post tonight. You can decide for your self what the explanation was that satisfied VIP. Anyways, ignoring my obvious laziness, please review.


	2. Once upon a VIP

**__**

Charmed 

~*~

A couple days later….

"Look at this!" Natalie said running downstairs holding three papers.

"What is it?" Nina asked as she and Nikki met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"They're drawings we did as little kids. Of our fairy friend Buttercup. And look at Nina's. Do you see the troll?" Natalie said.

"And?" Nikki asked.

"We all had the same fairy friend and she looks the same in every picture. I think Katie is right. I think there are Trolls and Fairies. " Natalie concluded.

"Or maybe one of us was really imaginative and the other two big copycats." Nikki said.

"But but look at this, I looked up the tweens in this book, " Natalie pulled out a book about myths and fairy tales, "And it says that Fairies and trolls live on another plane and can get to our plane through the tweens, the in-betweens like door ways, shadows, windows. But only children can see them, because of their innocence." 

"If they do exist why aren't they in the book of Shadows?" Nina asked skeptically.

"Because the Book of Shadows was written by adults." Natalie said.

"Look, I have to get to the auction house. Nikki can listen to you ramble." Nina said before rushing out of the house.

"You believe me don't you? I mean how else could Katie have gotten those scratches, they were claw marks I'm telling you!" Natalie asked Nikki.

"You didn't explain one thing, " Nikki said, getting the feeling she wasn't going to work today, "When you found Katie she wasn't in a tween, she was in a wide open road."

"Actually she was in the biggest tween of all, midnight. In between day and night." Natalie replied, "Look, I want to go see Katie today, will you come with me?"

"Fine. I'll call Kay and let her know that I'm not coming in today." Nikki aid reluctantly and headed to the phone..

~*~

At VIP…

"Ok Nikki, bye." Kay said hanging up the phone. "Nikki won't be coming in today a family emergency."

"She's been awfully distracted since she moved in with her sisters." Tasha said.

"Oh give her a break Tasha. Her hrandmother just died and she's just adjusting to living with her sisters again. I'm sure she'll be back to normal in a week or two." Val said.

~*~

In Katie's room…

"No…I can't see her…" Natalie said depressed.

Katie held the box up to her ear, "says that if you really believe in fairies, there's something that'll make you innocent again so you can see them"

Nikki and Natalie nod in agreement. Katie reaches into the box and pulls out a handful of fairy dust and throw it and Natalie and Nikki. Nikki and Natalie burst out laughing.

"I wanna see the fairy!" Nikki says in a childish voice.

Katie opens the lid again and a little pink fairy flies out of the box. They stare at it with their eyes wide and mouths open

~*~

At Foam…

Nikki and Natalie are on stage singing in really childish voices, "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands. If you're happy and you know it uhh… pat your knee. (They pat their knee) If you're happy and you know it pat your knee."

In the audience the VIP gang are staring in shock.

"That's a family emergency?" Tahsa asked.

"Guys, I think Nikki's lost it…" Quick said.

"Maybe she's just going through a rough time…" Val said. Johnny was in a shocked silence.

Nina walks in to see Nikki and Natalie on stage. She walks over to the stage and pulls the plug on the microphone.

"Hi." Nikki said.

"Hi. Lost your minds?" Nina asked.

"Nina, we have been waiting and waiting and waiting!" Natalie said making big motions with her hands.

"Ok come on!" Nina grabbed the two sisters and pulled them away from the stage and to the back.

"You know what we did? We saw a fairy and she was very cute and she was sparkly and she was really, really pretty," Nikki said in a childish voice.

"Ok, what ass-backward spell did you two cast?!" Nina said in a loud whisper.

"We-we-we didn't cast a spell." Natalie stuttered.

"No, it is true, we did not use a spell but we did use fairy dust!" Nikki said, moving back and forth like an antsy child. 

"Fairy dust?"

"Yep."

"Great, so now you can go home and reverse it, Tinkerbell." Nina said.

"Oh no no no, No I am not a fairy!" Nikki turned to Natalie, "She thought I was a….we have to show her!" Nikki pulled out a little pouch and she and Natalie both took a pinch of the powder.

"One, Two, Three." Natalie counted and they threw the dust in Nina's face. Nina sneezed. 

"What the hell did you do that for?" Nina asked.

"Okay, Dat did not work!" Nikki said.

"No, work, that's a very good idea, I'm gonna get back to mine." Nina said and she walks off. Nikki and Natalie follow. 

"Oh, you know what? You are being a big, big, big, extra, extra, extra, double big jerk right now. (Because now I have the key, (she shows her the key hanging around her neck) so Thistle is safe and we have to be back with Kate at midnight so when the trolls attack..." Nikki said. The VIP group sitting nearby gave each other confused looks at the way Nikki was talking. 

"No. You guys are going home and you're not driving either 'cause someone will think you're drunk or something. So go outside and wait there and I will call a cab." Nina said pulling out her cell phone. Natalie started whining.

"Whay are you being so meeeaaan?!"

"Because you guys are…" Nikki went up and huged her, "Stop it." Nikki kisses her on the cheek, "Stop.." Natalie hugs her, "You guys go home. Scoot. Go home. Scoot. And you go home and you reverse this ridiculous behaviour" They let go of her pouting and head towards the door. Nina wiped her cheek and finished calling the cab before leaving.

~*~

"What. The. Hell?" Tasha asked.

"I've never seen Nikki act like that." Quick said.

"I didn't know Nikki was capable of acting like that." Johnny said.

"She was acting more childish than Val." Tasha said, "And here I thought that nobody could act more childish than Val."

Val stuck her tongue out at Tasha., "Maybe we should go to Nikki's place, find out what's going on?" The group nods in agreement.

~*~

Back at the manor Natalie and Nikki are running throught the house…

"Geez, Louise, there are too many doorways in this house." Nikki complained.

"Okay, we have to call Katie on the walkie-talkies, okay? (They start up the stairs but stop when the doorbell rings.) Oh, do you think the trolls know about doorbells?" Natalie asked.

"I don't know." They cautiously walk over to the door and Nikki opens it to see VIP standing there with Johnny in front, "Jooohnnyyy!" Nikki leans forward near the doorway, but Natalie pulls her back.

"Ooh, Ooh! Tween Tween!" Natalie said.

"Oops. What are you guys doin' here?" Nikki asked.

"We were concerned about your 'family emergency'" Tasha said.

"Oh, that's nice. We're still takin' care of it." Nikki said.

"Bye!" Natalie said and the two started to shut the door but Val stopped them.

"Can I use the little girls room before we go, it's a long ride home…"

Nikki sighs exaggeratedly, "Okay, you can come in but you have to do it very fast whatever it is." VIP walks in and Val heads to the restroom while the rest go into the living room. Natalie and Nikki go into the kitchen with their walkie-talkie.

~*~

"…it'll disappear the shadows." Natalie finished their conversation into the walkie-talkie. The heard a groan come from the attic.

"Trolls…" Nikki whispered wide eyed.

"Let's go get 'em!"

Natalie and Nikki run to the stairs and up to the attic.

~*~

Val walked out of the bathroom to see Natalie and Nikki go past her up the stairs. Val walked into the living room, "Maybe we should wait for them to get back downstairs before we leave."

"Maybe we can get some explanation's before we leave." Johnny said, "Cause I would really like to know what is going on." The others agreed.

~*~

Natalie and Nikki barge into the attic, "Hiiiiiyaaah!" they said.

"No one's here…" Natalie said, walking into the attic and looking around. She picked up the Book of Shadows, "How did that get..Nikki!" Natalie exclaimed as a troll jumped down Nikki's shirt. Nikki screamed. Natalie tackled Nikki and the troll jumped out but the two sister's went rolling down the stairs.

~*~

Johnny looked up when he heard a scream, "What the..?" The group ran to the hallway to see Natalie and Nikki falling down the stairs.

"Oww…." Nikki groaned sitting up.

"Are you guys OK?" Quick asked.

"Yeah..yeah…we're fine…You know what? Can you just go? I'm really sorry to rush you out but we have something very important to be taken care of." Natalie said, after getting up and showing VIP the way to the door. Nikki got up and followed.

"Ok…Are you sure you guys are ok? That was a pretty nasty fall." Johnny asked looking at Nikki.

"Yea, Yea..we're fine." Nikki said.

"You guys seem….different…" Kay said.

"Different?" Nikki asked.

"Yea…you were acting like you were drunk or something." Tasha said.

"Sober. Stairs can be sobering. Very….sobering." Natalie said.

"Right…" Quick said. Natalie pushed them all out the door beforeclosing it.

"Stairs can be sobering!?" Nikki asked, "How am I going to explain this at work tomarrow?"

"No time for that now….we have to figure out why we're thinking like adults all of a sudden. Do you still ahev the key?" Natalie asked. Nikki's hand went to her throat.

"Shit…"

"We need to find a way to see the trolls without using the fairy dust again so we can protect Katie." Nikki nodded in agreement and the two sisters went up to the attic.

~*~

11:54

Nina walks in, "Let's get this over with."

"Thank god you're here. We thought you wouldn't make it time." Natalie said.

"You know I still don't believe you."

"Yea whatever, just recite the spell." Nikki said.

All three sisters, _"In this tween time this darkest hour,_

we call upon the sacred power. 

Three together stand alone, 

command the unseen to be shown. 

In innocence we search the skies, 

enchanted are our new found eyes"

~*~

In the hallway outside Katie's room…

"Okay, why can't we see them?" Natalie asked.

"Obviously the spell didn't work…" Nikki said. Nina used her power to open the door.

"Katie?" Nina asked walking in, the room was trashed. Nikki looked under the bed while Natalie and Nina checked behind some destroyed furniture. 

"Where could she be?" Nikki asked.

"Well, she's gotta be here somewhere, she couldn't have just disappeared." Nina said.

"Unless the trolls turned her into a fairy." Natalie put in.

"A fairy? Why would they do that?" Nikki asked.

"I have no idea. Maybe to punish her for taking Thistle. But we have to find Kate. Okay, come on, give me a premonition." Natalie said picking up the box Thistle was in.

"I don't understand. I mean, why couldn't we see the trolls? We've had spells backfire on us before but never the power of three." Nikki asked.

"It's my fault." Nina said, "I didn't want you to be right…"

"Nina, It's not your fault, I mean we have to deal with a lot now…It's understandable to be a little resistant….I mean we've barely had our powers a week." Nikki said.

"Not at the expsense of a little girl…" Nina said.

"I know…but we're going to get Kate back and we need your help." Nikki said.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it. I don't understand. What good is this power if I can't use it when I need it?" Natalie fumed.

"You have to focus." Nikki offered.

"Believe me Nikki…I am focusing."

"Your too upset. Just calm down" Nikki said, thinking back to past problems with her powers when she got really frustrated, a little thankful she didn't have a lethal power, even though she really wanted one.

"Guys…" Nina said.

"What?" Natalie asked.

"I think the spell is working look!" Nina said pionting to a window where a fairy was flying, "Do you see it?"

"What is it doing?" Nikki asked.

"I think it wants us to follow it." Natalie said.

~*~

At a cave…

Nina, Nikki and Natalie snuck into the cave and saw Thistle and Katie in a cage above a large fire and trolls everywhere. The three sisters were hiding behind a rock watching the scene when a troll jumped and attacked Nikki. Nikki froze it in mid-air. Nina moved the troll into the fire and it burned.

Natalie went to jump over the rock, but when she jumped she stayed in the air, "Oh oh! I'm flying, Nina!" Nina used her power to move Natalie over the fire and let her grab the cage before Natalie landed safely behind the fire.

"Nikki, Run!"

"Run? Run where!?" Nina pushed Nikki towards the flames.

"Freeze the flames!" Nina said and Nikki did as she was told. The two sisters ran through the now harmless fire, "Unfreeze now." Nikki unfroze the fire, and burns all of the trolls.

"Now that's how I like my Trolls, Medium well." Nikki joked.

Natalie let the fairies out of the cage and they started to fly away, "Hey, wait. Thistle…can't you turn Katie back into a little girl?"

Thistle nodded and turned Katie back to the way she was. After wishing Thistle good luck they took Katie home and went back to their home.

~*~

The three walk into the manor looking very sore and tired.

"Ow." Natalie said.

"Yep." Nikki put in.

"Ice?" Nina asked. 

"Bed." Nikki said closing the door. Right after she had closed the door they heard the doorbell ring. They open the door and flowers are on the porch.

"Who delivers at this hour?" Nina asked.

"I think it's some one's way of saying thank you." Nikki said, handing them some flowers.

"Well, they're welcome." Nina said. The sisters went inside.

"Ooh, they're so pretty!" Natalie said.

~*~

The next day at VIP…

Nikki walked in a little nervously, "Uh hi guys."

"Nikki!" Val said jumping up.

"You guys aren't mad about last night, are you?" She asked thinking back to how they acted like children and rushed them out of the house.

"No why would we be?" Johnny asked.

"I don't know, you know, just incase you thought I was a drunk or a lunatic or a drunk lunatic." Nikki said.

"I have a feeling we should just not ask." Tasha said.

Nikki sighed in relief.

~*~

AN: wow….long….review please!


	3. They're Everywhere

AN: From here on out I'm going to do this story in script form. And Nikki is Nikki. Natalie is her younger sister and Nina is the oldest.

**__**

Charmed

~*~

[Scene: Manor. Nikki's bedroom. Nina runs in.]

Nina: Ooh, ooh, ooh! I think Jack's a warlock.

Nikki: Who?

Nina: Jack, uh, Jack Sheridan. The internet auction guy I met remember. I went to go get coffee, he was standing in front of me and then I went straight to the news stand and 'wham!' he was right there reading a magazine.

Nikki: So he went from one place to another in a blink of an eye. Wait, you think he blinked?

Nina: Well, yeah, that's what warlocks do, right? Where's Natalie?

Nikki: She's volunteering at the convalescent hospital.

Nina: Great. Wait, you have to know if there's a warlock test.

Nikki: How would I know?

Nina: I mean, well, you are a warlock magnet.

Nikki: Am I never gonna live that Jeremy guy down? 

Nina: Okay, fine. You get them at your work life, I've got them at the water cooler. 

****

Nikki: I guess you had better hit the Book of Shadows.

****

Nina: *intent on causing trouble* What about that Johnny guy at your work? How do you know that he's not a warlock?

****

Nikki: He's not a warlock. No cats have hissed at him, he has not blinked, he has not tried to kill me or my sisters and steal our powers as, which you know, is a key indicator. Besides, I've known him longer than I had these powers.

****

Nina: If you say so. But Jeremy knew about our powers right after we got them, it can't have been a coincedence. *rolls her eyes at Nikki's glare* I'm gonna check the Book of Shadows.

****

Nikki: You do that. 

{Nina walks out of the room. The doorbell rings.}

****

Nikki: I'll get it. (She goes downstairs and answers the door to see Johnny) Johnny? What are you doing here?

****

Johnny: *holds up a folder* Tashs asked me to give you this. It's the info on our new client.

{Nikki takes the folder. Kit (The cat) hisses at Johnny. Nikki turns around to stare at Kit for a second before turning back to Johnny}

****

Johnny: What's her problem?

****

Nikki: *starting to freak out a bit*Thanks for the folder. I have to go. (She closes the door) NINA!

~*~

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Nina and Nikki are sitting on the couch looking through the Book of Shadows.]

Nikki: Nineteen warlock specific death spells and not one test.

Nina: What if it's a conspiracy? Jack and Johnny working together, sweet talking and the whole time they're figuring out how to kill us.

Nikki: Okay, now you're being paranoid.

Nina: Well, how can we not, with warlocks and demons coming out of the woodwork all the time, it's a wonder we trust anybody.

Nikki: We don't. (They find a spell.) Here it is.

Nina: To hear secret thoughts?

Nikki: Yeah, we can hear Jack and Johnny's thoughts just long enough to confirm or deny our suspicions.

Nina: No personal gain.

Nikki: Purely for protection. (Nikki lights two candles.) Okay.

Nina/Nikki: _"As flame lights shadow as truth ends fear, open locked thoughts to my minds willing ear, may the smoke from this candle into everywhere creep, bring inner most voices to my mind in speech."_

Nina: *thinking* Hey, she's wearing my lipstick.

Nikki: What, I can't borrow your lipstick?

Nina: I didn't say that, Nikki, I thought it.

Nikki: *thinking* Whatever, just learn to share.

Nina: I heard that. This could be dangerous.

{Natalie walks in}

****

Natalie: Hey guys. Why is the Book of Shadows down here?

****

Nina: Jack blinked.

Nikki: And Kit hissed at Johnny.

Nina: Right, and we think that they may be warlocks, so we were looking for a test so we could 

test them.

Natalie: *thinking*Hello, paranoid.

Nikki: We are not.

Nina: Able to find a spell in the Book of Shadows.

Natalie: Well, just prick him. Warlocks don't bleed, so if there's no blood you've got your answer.

Nikki: *thinking* Who knew?

Nina: *thinking* Natalie did. The spell, don't tell her.

Nikki: *thinking*Shouldn't we reverse it?

Nina: *thinking*Not until we really…

Natalie: Are you two okay?

Nikki: So how's Eric? Has he asked you out yet?

Natalie: No. But I think one of the guys that visited his father may be a warlock, I had a preminition. You guys go deal with Jack and Johnny, and I'll check the internet. (Goes upstairs)

Nikki: *thinking* Great, we're surrounded by warlocks.

Nina: *thinking* Yeah, next time get your own damn lip stick.

Nikki: I heard that.

Nina: I love you.

Nikki: *thinking* Bite me. (Nikki reaches over and picks up the folder Johnny dropped off and starts to go through it)

****

Nina: Sounds like an interesting client.

****

Nikki: Mind your own business.

****

Nina: Sorry.

[Scene: VIP office. Everyone is there except Quick, Nikki enters]

****

Nikki: Hey guys.

****

Tasha: *thinking* Finally decided to actually show up… *out loud* Hey Nikki.

****

Val: *thinking* Nikki! *out loud* Nikki!

****

Johnny: Hey Nikki. *Thinking* Man, is she looking hot today.

****

Nikki: (Trying really hard not to blush)

****

Kay: Nikki! Did you go over the stuff about the new client?

****

Tasha: *thinking* probably to busy with 'family emergencies' and stuff…

Nikki: Yep, This Angel guy sounds like he should be an interesting case (puts the folder on the table and sits down) Is Quick with the client?

****

Kay: Yep.

****

Nikki: (nods) 

****

Johnny: *thinking about his date last night* Boy, she was one stubborn witch.

****

Nikki: *Thinking* Oh my god. Does he mean like supernatural witch? Like a stubborn witch that wouldn't die? This is bad…Oh yea! Warlock test! 

****

Val: Nikki? Are you ok?

****

Nikki: Yea, don't move. (She freezes the room and gets up and walks over to Johnny. She pulls out a needle) This is going to hurt a little. (She pricks his hand with it. It doesn't bleed)

{Natalie runs in}

****

Natalie: Hey Nikki…*notices that the room is frozen*

****

Nikki: He didn't bleed. He's not bleeding. There's no blood. There's nothing. 

****

Natalie: *laughing* Nikki, of course he's not bleedinhg, he's frozen. 

****

Nikki: I knew that! *walks back over to the chair and sits down* Now hurry and go away so I can unfreeze them.

{Natalie runs out and Nikki unfreezes the room.}

****

Johnny: Ow! What the..? (He looks at his hand which is bleeding a little) 

****

Nikki: (Notices the blood and sighs relieved)

{Natalie comes in again}

****

Nikki: He's bleeding.

****

Natalie: He's lucky.

****

Johnny: *confused* How does bleeding make me lucky?

****

Nikki: (Jumps out of her chair and grabs Natalie's arm) Excuse her, She's late for her therapy session for the day. (Starts to drag Natalie out of the room)

****

Natalie: But I don't have therapy sessions…

****

Nikki: You do now. (pulls Natallie out of the room) What did you need?

****

Natalie: Actually I just wanted to meet your co-workers and Johnny in particular, he is cute.

****

Nikki: *getting frustrated* HEY!

****

Natalie: Relax. I won't touch.

Nikki: Why don't you go bother Nina?

Natalie: Fine, whatever. A little touchy today aren't we?

****

Nikki: Watch it.

****

Natalie: I'm going, I'm going.

{Natalie leaves. Nikki walks back into VIP)

****

Johnny: What was she…

****

Nikki: *cutting him off* So, do we know anything else about this Angel guy other than what was in the folder I was given? 

****

Tasha: Nope so far that's about it. 

****

Val: How about I take Nikki to go meet the client? Please please please?

****

Tasha: *thinking* Val's just gonna mess something up.

****

Nikki: Come on Tasha, I promise to keep Val out of trouble.

****

Tasha: Fine.

****

Val: (gets up) Great!

{Val and Nikki leave}

****

Tasha: Is it just me or is Nikki acting really weird?

****

Kay: It's not just you.

****

Johnny: What do you think it is?

****

Tasha: I think she's hiding something.

****

Kay: But why? There's no reason for Nikki to hide anything from us.

****

Tasha: (shrugs)

[Scene: The beach. Quick and Angel Pavlov are sitting at a table with drinks. Nikki and Val walk up]

****

Val: Angel Pavlov, I'd like you to meet Nikki Franco. Nikki this is our client Angel Pavlov.

****

Angel: (stands up and extends his hand) Nice to meet you Nikki. *thinking* Not another one…

****

Nikki: *caught off guard by his thoughts* Nice to meet you to. (shakes his hand) *thinking* What's up with this guy….

****

Quick: So Nikki, no curent family emergencies? *thinking* You've been having a lot lately…

****

Nikki: Well, none that requires my immediate attention…

{Val, Nikki, and Angel sit down}

****

Val: Your sister is…weird…was she Natalie or Nina? *thinking* oh…I can't remember which one was older….uh oh…play it cool…

****

Nikki: Very…weird. That was Natalie, my younger sister.

****

Val: Is Nina really bossy like most older sisters?

****

Nikki: She tends to take charge a lot…

****

Angel: *thinking* who cares…The sooner I can frame VIP the sooner I can ditch these losers…

****

Nikki: Frame?! *she notices the looks that the three give, especially the one from Angel* There's the frame my sister wanted, (she points to a frame at a shop and stands up) I'll be right back….(she walks over to the shop)

****

Angel: *thinking* I wonder what's her problem…I'll have to keep an eye on her…

****

Nikki: (coming back) Maybe Nina, will calm down now…(she sits down)

****

Val: (looking at the frame) your sister wanted this one?

****

Nikki: Yea…it matches the one that was on the picture of Grams but the frame broke the other day….*thinking* After Nina threw a warlock into it…

{Nikki's cell phone rings}

****

Nikki: (answering it) Yea?……I'm a little busy……Ok….Fine….I'll be right there…. (she hangs up) I need to go…Family problem….

****

Quick: *thinking* How many problems can three sisters have? *out loud* Ok Nikki, see ya later.

****

Val: *thinking* I hope everything is OK….*out loud* I hope everything is OK.

****

Nikki: *smirking slightly* We'll take care of it. Later guys.

{Nikki Leaves}

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Natalie and Nina are talking. Nikki comes in.]

****

Nikki: This had better be good, my friends aren't gonna buy the family emergency excuse much longer.

****

Natalie: I found our Warlock. His name is Eames, and he's pretty powerful. Cloning, Deflection, and Transmorgification.

****

Nina: *thinking* The ability to change shape or form.

****

Natalie: It's the ability..

****

Nikki: to change shape or form, I know. 

****

Natalie: Ok, does somebody want to tell me what's going on here?

****

Nikki: *thinking* Have to tell her now…

****

Nina: Okay, um, Natalie. See Nikki and I didn't really know about the whole pricking thing to expose a warlock. So, we sort of cast a little hearing thoughts spell, just to find things out.

****

Natalie: Oh, a hearing thoughts spell.

Nikki: *thinking* Johnny's clean by the way.

Nina: *thinking* Glad to hear it. Jack's not

****

Natalie: Wait, are you guys thinking something about me?

****

Nikki: No. How do you know that Jack's a warlock?

****

Nina: I heard his thoughts, they were bad, really bad. You know graves, dead people, burnt bodies.

****

Natalie: Did you prick him?

****

Nina: No, I need Nikki for that. Freeze him, prick him. Then vanquish if necessary.

****

Nikki: Let's go then. Natalie, do you think you can work out a vanquish spell for this guy?

****

Natalie: No problem, have fun.

{Nikki and Nina leave}

[Scene: Bucklands Auction House. Nikki is standing in the hallway when Tasha, Johnny and Angel come walking in]

****

Johnny: Nikki, what are you doing here?

****

Tasha: *thinking* I thought she had another 'family emergency'…

****

Nikki: I'm meeting my sister, you guys?

****

Angel: I'm getting a ring appraised by a Nina Halliwell…

****

Nikki: *mumbling* Nina didn't mention that…

****

Tasha: You know Nina?

****

Nikki: You do too. She's my older sister.

****

Johnny: I thought your last name was Franco…

****

Nikki: Our mother name was Halliwell, and in our mother's line it's tradition for the girls to take their mothers last name, but due to our Grandfather we had to take Franco too.

{Jack walks past and goes into a conference room}

****

Nikki: I have to go…(follows Jack before the three can say anything)

[Scene: Bucklands. Nina's office. Jack stands at the doorway.]

****

Jack: Ah, there she is. Hard at work. Look, I'm glad you called. Can I come in?

Nina: Sure.

Jack: *thinking* Stay focused, get it over with.

{Nikki enters.}

Nina: *thinking* Freeze him.

{Nikki freezes him.}

Nikki: The dagger, his hand. Just cut him, poke him.

{Nina gets the dagger and cuts him.}

Nina: He's not bleeding.

Nikki: He's frozen.

Nina: Ugh, yeah, okay, okay, okay. Wait a minute. (She hides the dagger.) Okay.

{The door opens and hits Nikki.}

Nikki: Oh!

{Another Jack enters.}

Jack #2: Hey! Any survivors?

{Jack #2 walks next to Jack #1. Nikki freezes him.}

Nina: Okay, there's two of them.

Nikki: Twin warlocks?

Nina: Or, maybe they're just twins. Okay you unfreeze them, if that prick doesn't bleed, then that 

one's dead too.

Nikki: Alright.

Nina: Right, let 'em go.

{Nikki unfreezes them.}

Jack #1: Ow!

Jack #2: What's the matter? She bite you?

Jack #1: Your shouldn't be here.

Jack #2: Come on man. I couldn't let you take all the blame.

Nikki: He's bleeding.

Nina: Alright, this is my sister, Nikki, which one of you jerks is Jack?

Jack #1: Uh, I'm the jerk. This is my twin brother, Jeff.

Jeff: Nice to meet you. Sorry about earlier.

Nina: So, what exactly was it that you guys were trying to prove?

Jack: It's just a little something we used to do growing up.

Jeff: Yeah, so, you know when one of us would take an interest in someone…

Jack: Don't get the wrong idea.

Nikki: So, you'd send the other one to check out the merchandise, sort of kick the tires?

Jeff: Crude but accurate.

Nina: *thinking* Still doesn't explain why he wanted to kill me.

Nikki: So, uh, Jeff, what is it that you do for a living?

Jack: Oh, great, this should be a conversation stopper.

Jeff: I own a mortuary. Actually, a whole chain of them.

Nikki: (to Nina) Mortuaries.

Nina: (to Nikki) Put 'em in graves, set 'em on fire.

Nikki: Mmm hmm.

Nina: You know, you two should be ashamed of yourselves. (She walks up to Jack and slaps him across the face.) That's for thinking you could get away with it. (Jeff laughs. Nina slaps him too.) And that's for thinking you wouldn't get slapped. Nikki. (They leave.)

Jeff: I approve.

[Scene: Hallway. Tasha, Johnny and Angel are standing there. Nikki and Nina walk out of the office.]

****

Angel: Ms. Halliwell?

****

Nina: You are?

****

Angel: Angel Pavlov, we had meeting for you to appraise a ring.

****

Nina: Oh my god, that's right I completely forgot. Look, could we reshedule, we have a little family thing we have to take care of.

****

Angel: *thinking* It's a wonder you get any buisness if you forget about clients… *out loud* No problem

****

Nina: (Opens her mouth to say something nasty in reply to his thought when Nikki elbows her) Ow! Just talk to my secretary and she'll set it up. Bye!

****

Nikki: See ya later. 

{Nikki and Nina leave, quickly. Tasha and Johnny look at each other a little confused}

[Cut to the foyer. Nina and Nikki enter.]

Nikki: (Calling out to Natalie) Jack's not a warlock.

Nina: He's a jerk.

{Natalie enters.}

****

Natalie: That's good. But I'm having trouble with a vanquishing spell for our warlock.

****

Nina: I'll help. 

****

Nikki: I would, but I really need to get to work. Bye guys. 

****

Nina/Natalie: Bye! Have fun!

{Nikki leaves}

[Scene: VIP. Everyone is there including Angel. Nikki enters.]

****

Nikki: Hey.

****

Tasha: *thinking* Finally decided to show up…I wonder what she's up to… *out loud* Manage to pull yourself away from the emergency?

****

Nikki: Something like that…

****

Quick: *thinking* I wonder what the emergency was this time anyways…*out loud* hey, do we know you?

****

Johnny: She does look vaguely familiar…*thinking* I wonder what's up with her lately…I hope she's not in trouble

****

Nikki: Very funny guys… *thinking* Oh boy Johnny…You have no idea…

****

Val: So, is everything OK at home?

****

Nikki: (sitting down) Yea, everything's fine for now…

****

Angel: *thinking* Does anyone in this town do their work? Oh well…I once I get done with this Information exchange I can leave….Only a couple more hours…

****

Nikki: So, what's the plan for the rest of the day?

****

Tasha: We keep an eye on Angel.

****

Val: And kick any butt that needs kicking!

****

Angel: Actually, I think I'm fine for the rest of day….you don't have to go through the trouble…

****

Nikki: Nonsense..It's our job to protect you, so we'll do that until these creeps are off your back, right guys? (every one nods in agreement)

****

Angel: *thinking* damnit…If she messes this up I'll kill her….*out loud* I really don't think that's necessary…

****

Nikki: If the mob in Russia is ANYthing like the mob here there's no telling when they'll try and collect their money….unless there's something you're not telling us?

****

Tasha: What are you getting at Nikki?

****

Nikki: I just have a..feeling…that he's not being completely honest…

****

Angel: *thinking* the others aren't suspicious…what clued her onto me…she's barely been around me…she's going to screw this entire operation….The Man isn't going to be very happy about this…

****

Nikki: Who's The Man?

****

Angel: *thinking* Damnit….How did she know…*out loud* I don't know who your talking about…

****

Tasha: *thinking* What is she up to…if she pisses off the client…

****

Johnny: *thinking* What's going on with her…she doesn't usually grill the clients like this…who is The Man anyways..

****

Nikki: I think you do.

****

Val: *thinking* Whoa…Nikki's acting odd…

****

Kay: *thinking* The Man? I wonder if I can find anything about him online….(She starts typing)

****

Quick: *thinking* She's barely been around him…How can she have a feeling…

****

Angel: *thinking* What's her game? *out loud* I really don't know what your talking about…

{Nikki freezes the room}

****

Nikki: What ever your up to, your not going to get away with it. (she goes over to his coat on the back his chair and goes through the pockets before pulling out the wallet. She starts looking through it) Alexander Kasanov? Well your definetly not a hockey player. (She put the wallet back and goes back to her seat. And Unfreezes the room) I think your lying…Mr. Kasanov.

****

Angel(Now Known as Alexander): Wh..what?

****

Nikki: Your not a hockey player, are you? Kay, what can you tell me about Alexander Kasanov?

****

Kay: Uh..give me a minute…(she gives up her search on The Man and starts to look up Alexander Kasanov)

****

Tasha: Nikki, what are you up to?

****

Nikki: Just trust me Tasha.

****

Kay: I found it. Hmm…Well for one thing he's wanted by the CIA…(Kay goes to continue but Nikki interupts)

****

Nikki: Can you get a picture?

****

Kay: I think so…though it won't be very good…(Kay does her thing on the computer. After getting a picture she looks up shocked.) Your right Nikki….He is Kasanov….

****

Nikki: I know. So, Mr. Kasanov, Wanna tell me about The Man?

****

Alexander: How the hell did you figure it out?

****

Nikki: I told you, I had a feeling.

[ Scene: Manor. Foyer. Nikki enters.]

****

Nikki: I'm back!!

{Natalie and Nina enter}

****

Nina: Do you know what a whitelighter is?

****

Natalie: Did you know we had one?

****

Nikki: A what? What are you talking about? What's going on now?

****

Natalie: I thought so. Nina and I were going through the book when this guy appears in the middle of the room in a bunch of swrilly blue and white lights. After trying and failing to vanquish him, he finally tells us he's on our side.

****

Nina: Apparently he's a whitelighter, a gaurdian angel for witches kind of. And apparently he's our whitelighter. There's like this whole heirarchy of 'Elders' and a set of rules for witches. Of course, no body tells us these things. Anyways, Our whitelighter, Leo, came to tell us about Eames.

****

Natalie: Who we already knew about, but he's telling us not to go after this warlock because it's to dangerous. And if this guy gets the power of three he could be unstoppable. We have the vanquish spell done (Hands Nikki the vanquish) But Leo said that we would need a potion.

****

Nikki: *really confused* Uhm, Hi? *thinking* Are they high or something? 

****

Nina: We are not high.

****

Natalie: But we may have had too much coffee….

****

Nikki: I'll ask later….So what's the plan?

{Leo orbs in. Nikki jumps.}

****

Nikki: Gah! Wha? Who?

****

Nina/Natalie: Whitelighter.

****

Nikki: Oh..

****

Leo: Hi. I checked with the Elders and they don't have a way for you to find the warlock You're just gonna have to wait for Natalie to have a premonition to find him.

****

Natalie: That's ok…I think…But at least we have time to get some sleep and then make the potion.

****

Nina: First, Nikki and I are going to reverse this thought hearing spell.

{Nikki nods in agreement}

[Scene. The next day. Manor. Kitchen. Nikki and Nina are making a potion. Leo is standing on the other side of the counter reading the potion ingrediants out of the book for them. The doorbell rings]

****

Natalie(from the other room): I'll get it!

****

Leo: Teaspoon of bat guano.

****

Nikki: That's just nasty…(Nina puts in the bat guano) Nina, why the hell do we have bat guano anyways?

{Natalie, Tasha, Val, Kay, Quick, and Johnny enter the kitchen.}

****

Val: Oh my god…What is that smell?!

****

Quick: That's horrible.

****

Johnny: What died?

****

Nina: Nikki's making breakfast.

****

Nikki: Hope your hungry 'cause I made a lot.

****

Natalie: *trying to smother her laughter* Count your blessings, it smells better than last time. 

****

Val: Y'know…I just ate..

****

Johnny: …I had a large breakfast…

****

Quick: I have a breakfast date later…gotta go hungry…

****

Kay: I'm on a diet…I don't eat breakfast anymore….

****

Tasha: I'm not eating that.

****

Nikki: I should hope not. What's next?

****

Leo: Powdered Toadstool. Should they be here?

****

Nikki: (grabbing a handful of white powder) Probably not. Bam! (she throws the powder into the pot and the potion explodes) Boo yah!

****

Val: What are you doing? Trying to come up with more ways to blow things up?

****

Nikki: uhh…yea…that's it. Leo?

****

Leo: That's it.

****

Nikki: Oh..Nina, where are the bottles?

****

Johnny: What's going on?

****

Nina: (Walking to the counter with three small glass bottles. She and Nikki begin to fill them with the contents of the pot.) Nothing.

****

Nikki: Why are you guys here, by the way? I doubt it's a social call.

****

Val: We were wondering how you knew Angel wasn't who he said he was. 

****

Nina: You didn't, did you? How come you didn't tell us…

****

Nikki: I forgot…besides you were the ones who ambushed me in the hall with some inane chatter.

****

Natalie: But you--you 

****

Nikki: Oh calm down, it wasn't that big a deal…

****

Tasha: What are you guys talking about?

****

Nikki/Nina/Natalie: Nothing!

****

Johnny: But how did you know?

****

Nikki: I told you.

****

Nina/Natalie: You WHAT!?

****

Nikki: Oh calm down you two! (she turns back to Johnny) I just had a feeling.

****

Quick: That must have been some feeling.

****

Leo: I'd hate to interrupt, but the girls are busy at the moent.

****

Tasha: Who are you?

****

Leo: Leo Wyatt.

****

Nikki: He's our..handyman.

****

Tasha: Then shouldn't you be off fixing something?

****

Nikki: That's exactly what I said! But Natalie is insisting that he can't work til' he has some coffee and Nina and I aren't going to make it and she's too electronically impared.

****

Natalie: I am not!

****

Nikki: Then make the damn coffee already!

****

Natalie: Fine, I will! (Natalie starts for the coffee pot when she accidently touches one of the potion bottles and has a premonition of Eames killing a man)

****

Nikki/Nina: Natalie! (they go and help her regain her balance)

****

Johnny: What happened?

****

Nikki: Uhm..this isn't a good time…Can I talk to you guys later?

{Natalie pretends to still be suffering from an attack in hopes it might convince VIP to leave}

****

Val: Yea, no problem. Bye.

[Scene: Alley. The sisters pull up and get out of the car each weilding a potion and a copy of the spell.]

****

Nikki: Well, where is he?

****

Nina: This is the right alley, right?

****

Natalie: It is…

****

Nikki: Well then…(The warlock appears.) Here he is.

****

Eames: The Charmed Ones? Now this is a surprise…I was only hoping for a darklighter but the Charmed Ones are good too.

****

Nikki: Darklighter? You guys didn't say anything about darklighters!

****

Nina/Natalie: We didn't know!

****

Eames: Ah, and new to your craft, that bodes well for me.

****

Nina: Nothing about this bodes well for you. 

{All three throw the potion at him}

****

Eames: What the hell are you doing?

****

Nikki: Kicking your ass.

****

Nina/Nikki/Natalie: _Time for amends and a victim's revenge..._

Nina: _Cloning power, turn sour..._

Nikki: Powe_r to change, turn to strange..._  
  
**Natalie:** _I'm rejectin' your deflection. _(Eames burns and disappears.) Wow. It worked.  
  
**Nina:** Nothing anticlimactic about that.

{Leo orbs in}

****

Leo: Did it work?

****

Nikki: No. And now he's going to kill us all.

****

Leo: What!?

****

Natalie: Relax. She's just being sarcastic. Byt the way, what's a darklighter?


	4. Power outage

**__**

Charmed 4

A couple weeks later.Natalie has a new DA boyfriend. And a demon named Belthazor is after the sisters.

[Scene: Cole's apartment. Natalie and Cole are laying in bed. They are kissing. Natalie stops.]

Cole: What? No, tell me.

Natalie: I don't know. It just seems like whenever I get close to you, you pull away from me. Why do you do that? What are you so afraid of telling me?

Cole: Natalie, don't.

(He rolls over.)

Natalie: I wanna know, I think I deserve to know.

Cole: Natalie, you don't know what you're asking for.

(He sits up with his back facing her.)

Natalie: Whatever it is you can't keep pretending that it's not coming between us. You can't keep hiding from the truth.

(Cole turns into Belthazor and attacks Natalie. Cole wakes up. One of the triad members is in his apartment.)

Triad #1: That wasn't so hard now was it?

Cole: What are you doing here?

Triad #1: Reminding you of your inner nature, Belthazor. One that would be in your best interest to reconnect with... soon.

Cole: I won't let you down.

Triad #1: You already have. You were out to destroy the witches, instead, you bedded one of them.

Cole: That was a mistake. I...

(The triad member waves his hand in front of Cole and a dagger appears in his hand.)

Triad #1: Find demonic help if you have to, Belthazor, but you better find a way to kill the witches or we'll kill you.

(He disappears.) 

[Scene: FOAM. Nina, Nikki and Natalie are sitting at a secluded table. Natalie is looking around for Cole.]

Nina: Alright, look, we know that Belthazor is not going to stop until he kills us. Natalie? Natalie! (Natalie looks at her.) Hi. I hate to interrupt your whole staring off into space aimlessly thing that you've got going on right now, but in case you forgot, evil triad agent.

Natalie: Like you would even let me forget, Nina.

Nina: Well, if he's as powerful of a demon as Leo says he is, he is probably gonna be immune to our powers. That's why we need to practice our counter tacks and the next time he shows up we can get some demon flesh.

Nikki: White meat or dark meat?

Nina: I don't like the idea of demon flesh either but it might help us with the vanquishing potion. Hello? Nats?

Natalie: Cole is forty-five minutes late. You would think he would be on time after he sleeps with a girl, you know.

Nikki: Can we fast forward? Because I could be at work and I need to get some stuff done.

Natalie: Cole!

(She stands up. Cole is walk towards them.)

Cole: (to himself) I'm sorry but we have to stop seeing each other, okay. Why? Because, because I have to kill you that's why. Smooth.

Nina: Alright, we are practicing the, uh...

(Cole approaches them.)

Cole: Sorry I'm late.

Natalie: It's okay.

Nina: The earthquake drill tomorrow at 3:00.

Nikki: I'm sorry madam president but I have a doctors appointment.

Nina: Nikki, you never know when an earthquake is going to strike.

Nikki: I guess not. I guess I will reschedule then.

Cole: Natalie, we, uh, need to talk.

Nina: Uh, Natalie, earthquake drill tomorrow at 3:00.

Natalie: Okay, but if you need me there by 3:00 you have to lend me your car because I have class right after it.

Nina: That's fine, just try not to leave my gas tank on empty this time.

Natalie: I left your gas tank empty once, okay, get over it, let it go.

Nina: Twice.

Natalie: I'm sorry, what-what were you saying?

Cole: Actually, if we could, uh...

Nina: Oh, and Nats, I need the car back by 5:00 because I have a photo shoot at FOAM tomorrow. We just got the location and I spaced on it a minute ago.

Nikki: Of course you did, and did you forget about our home owners meeting that's at our house tomorrow afternoon?

Nina: I totally spaced that too. Uh, Nats, will you cover for me?

Natalie: No way. At the last one it took them two and a half hours to decide where to put the garden gnomes.

Nina: Um, alright, do you want the car or not?

Natalie: Hate you.

Nina: No you don't, you love me.

Nikki: I'd love to get back to work. Okay, you two kids behave.

(Nina and Nikki walk away.)

Natalie: Uh, I'm sorry about that. Sister stuff. You know, there's a fine line between love and hate. So what did you wanna talk about?

Cole: Um, actually, I have to go.

Natalie: Wh-- wait, what?

Cole: I'm sorry, Natalie, it's just this big case I've been working on and I think I just had an epiphany on how to win it. (He kisses her.) Forgive me.

Natalie: Ugh.

[Cut to outside. Cole walks out.]

Cole: (to his shadow) Tell the triad I've figured out how to destroy the Charmed Ones.

(His shadow floats down into a drain.)

[Scene: VIP. Nikki enters.]

****

Val: You looked stressed Nikki.

****

Nikki: Sister stuff. 

[Scene: Manor. Conservatory. The next morning. Nina is on the phone and Nikki is sitting at the table.]

Nina: No, I'm planning on getting to FOAM early to confirm the stylist. Alright, I'll see you there. Bye. (She hangs up.) Hey, where's Natalie?

(Natalie walks in.)

Natalie: I'm here. Do you guys know if Cole called?

Nikki: Not since the last time you asked.

Natalie: Okay, I need some sisterly advice. Is he doing the whole blow her off after sex thing and I'm just not reading the signs?

Nikki: Probably not since the signs Nina read as an empath prove that he loves you.

Natalie: Okay, well, supernatural guarantees aside, I am getting the feeling that he is avoiding me. I have no idea where we stand.

Nina: Well, maybe it's got something to do with whatever he's hiding from me.

(Belthazor barges through the door.)

Natalie: Demon!

(Natalie levitates in the air and kicks him. He falls against the table. Belthazor throws out an electric spark.)

Nina: Nikki, watch out. (Nikki freezes it. Nina astral projects onto the table behind Belthazor.) Uh, excuse me. (She kicks him in the head. Nina flips off the table.) Nikki, now.

(Nikki picks up a knife and slices his neck. Belthazor changes into Leo.)

Leo: Ouch, you got skin.

(Nina astral projects back in her body.)

Natalie: Hey, Leo, do you think you can make yourself look like Brad Pitt? Okay, where are your keys, Nina?

Nina: Hey, don't forget to pick up food for the home owners meeting.

Natalie: Okay, how am I possibly gonna pick up food when I have to get your car back right away?

Nina: Well, I can't do it, I have to prep for my shoot.

(Nina and Natalie look at Nikki.)

Nikki: Don't look at me. (Silence) I guess I'll reschedule my doctors appointment again.

Natalie: You're cute.

[Scene: Cole's apartment. Cole and a demon called Andras is there. Cole places a knife in his altar.]

Cole: Have you ever destroyed siblings? Sisters?

Andras: Sisters? I put nations against each other, I start wars, riots.

Cole: I've reviewed your resume, Andras. Rather unfocused actually. My needs are very particular.

Andras: I can infect anybody. Anybody who's angry.

Cole: That's your way in? Through anger?

Andras: I see it in my victims. It envelops them. Then I turn that anger into rage. Rage that continues until they commit an act of violence.

Cole: Think you could work your magic on the Charmed Ones?

Andras: You said sisters, not witches.

Cole: Ah, but they are sisters, first and for most and that I believe is their Achilles heal. Break that bond and we break the very foundation of their powers. Without their powers they're defenseless.

Andras: Which sister shall we start with?

Cole: The most vulnerable. The youngest.

[Scene: Campus. Natalie walks out of the building talking on her phone.]

Natalie: Class went late and then I had to go to the library to get a book for psyc class so I'm running a little late but I will be there. (She walks towards Nina's car.) Yeah, very funny, I was born late. Ha ha. I promise I will be there, okay. I'll be home sss... (She sees Cole standing next to the car.) Gotta go, bye. (She hangs up.) Uh, what are you doing here?

Cole: I got a break in my case, decided to take the afternoon off.

Natalie: Oh, that must've been quite an epiphany you had last night.

Cole: Yeah, it was. I came to apologise, Natalie, for walking out on you so abruptly. That was rude.

Natalie: Yeah, it was rude.

Cole: I'd love to make it up to you. I made early dinner reservations at Brazils.

Natalie: No, I-I have to get Nina's car back.

Cole: I was hoping we could talk.

Natalie: About what?

Cole: About the other night. You and me, where we stand.

Natalie: Um, I would like to, I actually would really like to, but I promised Nina that I'd do her home owners meeting tonight, so...

Cole: That's alright, I understand. It was worth a try. (He kisses her and starts to walk away.)

Natalie: Cole, uh... (He stops and turns back around.) I could probably get Nikki to handle the meeting.

Cole: Yeah? You sure she won't be angry?

Natalie: Oh, she's gonna be furious but she'll just surprise it and take it out on me later. Um, you pick me up in an hour?

Cole: I'll be there.

(Natalie gets in the car. Cole flicks his hand and the gas starts leaking out. She beeps the horn and drives off.)

[Scene: Manor. Living room. The home owners meeting is being held there. The neighbours are arguing.]

[Cut to the kitchen. Leo enters as Nikki starts to carry the tray of food out.]

Leo: Oh, watch the- uh-

(Nikki trips over Nina's tripod, which had been under the table, its legs projecting out. Leo catches her and manages to save the tray of food.)

Nikki: (as she falls) Oh! Ohhh... Nina! Welcome to Nina's World Of Cluttered Photography. I can't believe I got roped into this.

(He hands her back the tray as they head back to the table.)

Leo: How _did_ you get roped into heading the refreshment committee?

Nikki: They didn't have time.

Leo: And you do?

Nikki: Well, my doctor's appointment doesn't count as high priority.  
  
**Leo: **Well, couldn't you make something simpler, you know, chips and dip?

Nikki: Leo, Grams taught me how to cook like a chef. I can't make chips and dip. It would be an insult. Although, I don't necessarily like hosting this. Those people in there make me want to scream.

Leo: Maybe you need to tell your sisters how you feel. Better yet, next time just say no.

Nikki: Okay, Leo, you obviously do not have sisters. One minute you're arguing about something and then suddenly you're arguing about who stole who's Malibu Barbie in 1979.

(Nina walks in.)

Nina: Hey, is Natalie home yet?

Nikki: No, and where-where's all the mineral water?

Nina: Uh, there's some down in the basement.

Leo: I'll get it.

(Leo goes in the basement. Nikki carries a plate of food into the living room.)

Neighbour #1: It's our property, it's our money and we are building a fence.

Nikki: Goat cheese pizza and onion tartlets for the vegetarians...

Neighbour #2: We want our privacy because we've had enough of your snooping.

Neighbour #3: Snooping?

Nikki: And the-the chicken satay has peanuts in case anybody's allergic. (Natalie sneaks in.) Natalie, nice of you to show.

Natalie: Uh, Nikki? (She walks over to Natalie.) I need a huge favour. Can I talk to you upstairs?

Nikki: Oh, no you don't. (The neighbours start arguing. Natalie starts to go upstairs.) Natalie. (She freezes the neighbours.) Natalie, this is not fair.

Natalie: I know it's not but the last thing I expected was for Cole to ask me out, okay. So could you please cover for me?

Nikki: I-I already rescheduled my doctors appointment twice.

Natalie: Well, Leo was a doctor before he died.

Nikki: That's really not the point.

Natalie: I know, and I would never ask but this is important. He wants to have the talk. You know, are we a couple, are we a one-nighter, are we friends, are we friends that had a one-nighter?

Nikki: Okay, I get it.

(Leo walks in.)

Leo: Ever planning on unfreezing the neighbours?

Natalie: Nikki, just this once. You know how much I want this relationship to work.

Nikki: Well, I guess I don't have much of a choice. (Natalie hugs her and runs upstairs.) You are so helping me run this meeting.

(The Whitelighters call Leo.)

Leo: They're calling.

Nikki: Uh, no, no, no. (Leo orbs out.) Leo. (He drops the bottle he was holding and Nikki catches it.) Chicken!

(Nikki unfreezes the neighbours.)

[Cut to outside. Cole drives up in his car. He closes his eyes.]

Cole: Andras. (Andras appears in the passenger seat. Cole opens his eyes.) If Natalie's right, Nikki will be primed and ready for you.

Andras: I thought we were starting with Natalie.

Cole: We did. I did. She's the reason Nikki's angry and she'll be the reason Nina gets angry. You just make sure you get there to capitalize on that.

Andras: Don't you mean to rage all three of the sisters for the plan to work?

Cole: You infect Nikki and Nina, I'll bring Natalie back home. They'll blame her for everything.

Andras: Your legend is well deserved, Belthazor. You know, for someone about to score one of the biggest victories in centuries, you don't seem very happy about it.

Cole: Just do your job.

(Andras gets out of the car.)

[Cut back to inside.]

Neighbour #4: Your fence will block the sun for my flowers.

Neighbour #1: Well, then I suggest you take it up with the sun.

Neighbour #4: Oh, great, great idea.

Nikki: Okay, uh, why don't you build a shorter fence? Or move your flower bed?

Neighbour #4: No, it is not my azaleas that are the problem.

(The neighbours continue arguing. The doorbell rings.)

Nikki: Okay, everyone please just try and calm down.

(Natalie runs past the living room.)

Natalie: Bye, honey.

Nikki: Natalie, Natalie, Natalie! Those are my earrings. (Natalie leaves.) Hey! (Andras is standing outside looking in. A ball of light comes out of his hand and hits Nikki.) Okay, everybody shut up! (Everyone shuts up.) I have had it with your petty problems and your stupid fence and your stupid flower beds. There are bigger problems in the world to worry about. Just get a life and grow up!

Neighbour #3: Ugh, you can't speak to us like that.

Nikki: Oh yeah? (She throws a plate of food at them.) Everybody get out of my house! Get out of my house before I throw you out.

Neighbour #4: With pleasure.

Neighbour #3: Perhaps we should build a fence to keep you in.

Nikki: Good idea.

Neighbour #3: I'll speak to your sister about the way you behave.

Nikki: Even better idea! Move it! Move it! Move it! (Everyone leaves.) And stay out! (Nikki's cell phone rings she answers it.) What?

****

Kay (on the phone): Hey Nikki, I just called to give the information on our new client.

****

Nikki: Screw the new client.

****

Kay: What?

****

Nikki: I have better thing to be doing. (she hangs up)

[Scene: VIP. Kay looks slightly hurt when she hangs up the phone.]

****

Val: Kay? Are you OK?

****

Kay: I'm fine, but Nikki's really pissed off about something.

****

Johnny: What did she say?

****

Kay: To screw the client and that she had better things to be doing.

****

Quick: Something is definetly up. 

****

Tasha: I hope that attitude doesn't last long.

[Scene: Brazils. People are dancing. Cole and Natalie are sitting at a table. They are laughing.]

Cole: You've come a long way haven't you?

Natalie: Yeah, yeah, I think I have. And of course I'm still living with my two sisters and still going to college, you know, eventually I'd like to work past that.

Cole: You don't like living with your sisters?

Natalie: Um, it's more out of necessity. 

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Nina is on the phone.]

Nina: I'm sorry I didn't make it. (Nikki walks in.) No, I didn't forget. I loaned my car to someone and obviously... (Nikki slams down a plate of food on the table.) they forgot to fill the tank. (to Nikki) Keep it down will you? (in the phone) Alright, one more chance is al that I'm asking for. (to Nikki) Where's Natalie?

Nikki: The little witch is not home yet.

Nina: (in the phone) No, tomorrow at FOAM will not be a problem, okay…

(She hangs up.)

Nina: Okay, alright, do you have any idea who that was?

Nikki: I couldn't care less.

Nina: What is your problem?

Nikki: You are. 

Nina: Okay, whoa, obviously somebody needs a Midol.

Nikki: And I am so sick of all your stuff lying around. If you can't keep your equipment out of the way then I will.

(She throws one of Nina's camera lens on the floor. Andras is watching from outside. Another ball of light shoots out of his hand and hits Nina.)

Nina: Ooh, ooh! (Nina looks around and picks up the blender.) Who the hell do you think you are?

(She throws the blender on the floor.)

[Cut to outside. Cole and Natalie drive up. Natalie is sits facing Cole.]

Natalie: I had a great time tonight.

Cole: Better than being at the homeowners meeting?

Natalie: Mmm, a little. Okay, you're married.

Cole: What?

Natalie: That's the big secret. You're married. You have three kids, and two dogs, and a really cute cat, right? and I'm your seven year itch?

Cole: You found me out.

Natalie: Can't get anything past me.

Cole: I guess not.

Natalie: Do you wanna come in?

Cole: I've gotta get back to the case, you know. (She kisses him once more and starts to get out of the car.) Natalie...

Natalie: Yeah?

Cole: Goodbye.

Natalie: Goodnight.

(She gets out of the car and walks up the stairs. He drives away.)

[Cut to inside. Nina and Nikki walk into the living room. They are still fighting.]

(Natalie walks in.)

Nina: Oh, poor Nikki. Well, you know what? The marter Ricky's really getting old.

Natalie: Hey, guys, what's going on?

Nina/Nikki: Shut up!

Nina: You know what? I am so sorry that I didn't check with you about your doctor's appointment, I was too busy being the only witch concerned about the triad.

Nikki: Oh, right, without the mighty Nina Halliwell we'd all be dead. Get over yourself, Nina.

Natalie: Sisters, what has gotten into you two?

Nina: By the way, you owe me for a car tow and a tank of gas, you little leech.

Natalie: I'm sorry, is it gang up on Natalie day and nobody told me?

Nikki: News flash! The world does not revolve around Natalie.

Nina: Yes, so while you get to spend the night playing with the DA, we are stuck picking up after you.

(A ball of light shoots out of Andras and hits Natalie.)

Natalie: What's the matter, Nina? Jealous? All work and no play making you even more boring?

Nina: Oh, yeah, there's a lot to be jealous that I am still living off of my sisters.

Nikki: Yeah, Grams said that you'd never amount to anything.

Nina: I am so sick of the fact that I've been saddled with the two of you my entire life.

****

Nikki: Saddled? Is that what you think? Maybe if you weren't so full of yourself, you'd see that your not the only one here bringing in an income. 

****

Nina: Do you know how many sacrafices I have had to make for you guys?

****

Nikki: Open your eyes! Your not the only one making sacrafices! Do you realize how many times I've had to skip out on a client to save your asses?

****

Nina: I think some one is getting a little cocky. I have saved your ass so many more times then you've had to save mine. (she turns on Natalie) Of course that doesn't compare to the numerous times I've had to save YOUR ass.

Natalie: Whatever, I'm leaving.

Nikki: Oh, sure, you're such an immature brat, you leave every time you can't hack something.

Natalie: Well, there's nothing keeping me here now is there?

Nina: Well, at least I'm not so stupid I had to do college twice.

Natalie: Well, at least I actually had the courage to go away to college. What's the matter, Nina? The real world too much for you? I am so sick of the two of you ganging up on me and judging me.

Nina: I am so sick of saving your asses.

Nikki: I'm sick of being taken for granted and those are mine.

(Nikki rips off Natalie's earrings.)

Natalie: Ouch! Bitch!

(Natalie high kicks Nikki but Nikki ducks. Nikki pushes Natalie into Nina and Nina pushes her against a chair. Natalie throws a piece of Nina's camera equipment at Nina and she blocks it with her power. It flies back towards Natalie, Natalie levitates and it passes under her legs towards Nikki who freezes it and moves. The camera piece unfreezes, hits a photo frame and it falls off the wall. Natalie leaves.)

[Cut to the attic. The triquetra on the Book Of Shadows splits apart.]

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Nina is cleaning up some broken glass. Nikki bends down beside her.]

Nikki: Here.

Nina: It's alright.

Nikki: I'll get it.

Nina: Thanks.

(Leo orbs in.)

Nikki: What's wrong?

Leo: You tell me.

Nikki: Well, we had a little...

Nina: Tiff.

Leo: Must've been more than little because "they" felt it.

Nikki: What do you mean "they felt it"?

Leo: What ever happened severed the power of three.

Nina: Leo, that's impossible.

(Leo picks up a glass bowl.)

Leo: Freeze this.

(He drops it, she tries to freeze it and it smashes on the floor.)

Nikki: Uhh...

(Nina tries to move the glass.)

Nina: What happened to our powers?

Leo: That's what we have to figure out. Let's start with your little tiff.

Nikki: Well, that's a bit of an understatement. It was big.

Leo: How big?

Nina: Um, do you remember Pearl Harbor?

Leo: Okay, so what triggered it?

Nikki: I-I don't know. Just little things I guess. I really didn't wanna do the stupid meeting and...

Nina: My car ran out of gas and because of that I missed my job.

Leo: That's it?

Nina: Yeah, I mean, it's weird. We were angry but we shouldn't have been that angry. It was almost like something...

Nikki: Someone sort of came over us.

Nina: Yeah, something like Belthazor.

Leo: That doesn't track because no matter what he does, he doesn't have the power to take away yours. So back to your argument. You yelled and you threw stuff?

Nikki: Well, we did a little more than that.

Nina: We used our powers.

Leo: What, on each other? Alright, well, then that's what happened. Your powers are routed in your bond as sisters. Using them against each other must have severed that bond. Alright, you-you-you need to repair the damage of your relationship because without your powers you are extremely vulnerable. SO you need to get Na...

Nina: Natalie's gone.

Leo: Gone? Gone where?

[Scene: Cole's apartment. Belthazor is kneeling in front of his altar chanting. There is a knock at the door. Belthazor closes the door to his altar.]

Natalie: Cole? Cole?

(Belthazor walks over to the door and grabs onto the handle. He starts to open the door.)

[Cut to the hallway. The door opens and Belthazor has changed back into Cole.]

Natalie: Hi.

Cole: Natalie, what are you doing here?

Natalie: Uh, I don't, I don't know. I was just walking around and I'm sorry, I know it's really late. Can I come in?

Cole: Yeah, sure.

(Natalie walks in and Cole closes the door.)

Natalie: I had no where else to go.

(She starts to cry.)

Cole: It's okay. (He hugs her.) I'm glad you came here. What happened?

Natalie: After, after you dropped me off, my sisters and I got into a, a huge fight. It was horrible.

Cole: You're safe here.

[Cut to the manor. Attic. Nikki and Nina are scrying for Natalie. Leo is looking through the Book of Shadows.]

Nikki: Nothing. I-I can't find her. We don't even have basic powers anymore.

Nina: I can not believe this is happening.

Nikki: What I don't understand is how could Belthazor make us that angry? That's not his power.

Leo: No, it's not, but it is his.

(Nina and Nikki look at the Book.)

Nikki: "Andras, the spirit of rage. Uses anger as a portal to enrage his victims until they commit a greatest act of violence."

Nina: Yeah, but that doesn't really explain everything. I mean, even if our fight was supernaturally amped, Andras magnifies anger into rage, he doesn't just create it out of thin air.

Nikki: So we gave him the upper hand.

Leo: And he took full advantage.

[Cut back to Cole's apartment.]

Natalie: I was just so angry and I said such horrible things to them and I-I-I didn't really mean any of it. (Cole touches he shoulder. She turns around and hugs him.) I'm sorry.

Cole: Please. Let me get you a tissue. Here.

(He sits her on the couch with her back to the altar. He walks over to his altar.)

Natalie: The things that were said. I don't even know where they were coming from. (Cole opens the door of his altar.) I mean, I guess it was issues, you know, (he reaches in his altar and pulls out a dagger) that were underlying, that were never really dealt with and then, and the all of a sudden just exploded.

Cole: Nothing ever happen like that before?

(He closes the altar door.)

Natalie: Oh, no, not like that. I mean, we used to fight all the time when we were little, you know. (Cole starts walking towards her holding the knife.) But since we moved in together, we just, we got really close, you know. (Cole pokes the knife in between his belt and sits down beside her.) We have been through so much together. (She touches his face.) Thank you for listening to me and thank you for being there for me.

(They kiss. Cole reaches down and pulls the knife out of his belt. He raises it to get ready to stab her but changes his mind and hides it between the couch cushions. They pull apart.)

Cole: I can't. I can't.

Natalie: What do you mean?

(He stands up.)

Cole: Natalie, you need to go home. Now.

(Natalie stands up, hurt.)

Natalie: What? Why?

Cole: Because you're vulnerable right now. I know we shouldn't do this. You need to go home. You need to go and figure out what happened.

(She smiles a little.)

Natalie: You're right. I do. (They walk to the door.) Thank you.

(They kiss. Andras appears.)

Cole: You're welcome.

(She leaves.)

Andras: So the rumours are true. You've fallen for a witch.

Cole: What are you doing here? Get out!

Andras: The great Belthazor. Who would've ever thought. (Cole gets the knife out between the 

couch cushions.) I can hardly wait to see what the triad will do when I tell them you failed.

Cole: I will kill you before you ever get the chance.

Andras: Yeah? Then you really are a traitor, aren't you? (Cole changes into Belthazor.) Pissed off are you? Good. 'Cause there's something you don't know about me. I can possess my victims too. (Andras jumps inside Belthazor. Belthazor roars. He looks into the mirror.) Now, let's go finish what we started shall we?

[Scene: Manor. Conservatory. Nina's on the phone.]

Nina: If you hear from her just tell her to come home, okay, it's an emergency. Thanks. (She hangs up.) So she's not at the club and none of her friends has seen her.

Nikki: Did you try Cole?

Nina: No answer.

Nikki: If something happens to her I'll never forgive myself.

Leo: Nothing's gonna happen.

****

Nikki: Leo, something happened to Grams, something happened to mum, it kind of runs in the family.

(Natalie walks in.)

Nina: Natalie, thank god.

Natalie: Has the tribal council spoken? Am I booted off the island?

(Nikki hugs Natalie.)

Nikki: Are you okay?

Natalie: Yeah.

Nikki: Where were you?

Natalie: I was at Cole's. And after a lot of talking and tears, he convinced me to come home and deal with what happened.

Nina: Belthazor is what happened.

Natalie: What?

Nikki: Abbreviated version, he used some under length spirit to enrage us and when we fought we lost our powers. No more triquetra, no more power of three.

Natalie: What, we have no powers? But that means that...

Nina: That he's gonna come try kill us. Which when you didn't come home, we thought that he had already...

Natalie: No, it's okay, I'm fine. So what do we do? A spell, a vanquish, a potion?

Leo: You need to try and restore your bond as sisters. I'll give you some privacy.

(He leaves.)

Nina: A potion would be easier, huh?

Nikki: Oh, yeah. Um, Natalie, Grams didn't say you'd never amount to anything. That was just me being mean. She was, is, very proud of you.

Natalie: We all know that sometimes I'm not the most responsible person in the world.

Nina: No, Natalie, that's all kind of ancient history isn't it? I mean, you've grown up a lot and I'm sorry I don't treat you like you have all the time.

Natalie: It's okay. Since mum died...

Nikki: You did take care of us and you do still look out for us all the time and we don't always say thank you. Sometimes we take you for granted.

Nina: I don't think I'm the one who's been taken for granted. You know, who needs Oprah when we can do it ourselves.

(They giggle.)

Natalie: Do you think we have our powers back?

(Belthazor bursts through the door.)

Nina: Oh! (She tries to use her power.) Alright, no, you try.

(Nikki tries to freeze him.)

Nikki: No, mine not working either.

Natalie: We worked on our issues.

(Leo runs up behind him and slams a chair over his back. Belthazor hits him in the face.)

Nina: No, wait. You guys run, I'll hold him off.

Natalie: No, Nina, we're in this together. (The triquetra on the Book of Shadows joins back up.) Look, the Book.

(Nina uses her power and knocks the knife out of Belthazor's hand. Belthazor throws a lightning ball at them and Nina uses her power to block it. It flies back, hits Belthazor and Andras gets knocked out of him.)

Nina: Okay, that's new.

Natalie: Demon with demon filling.

Belthazor: (to Andras) Nobody crosses me.

(A lighting ball hits Andras and he disappears. Belthazor picks up the knife.)

Nina: Okay, positions.

(He walks towards Natalie and she kicks him in the face.)

Nina: Uh, Nikki?

(Nikki freezes the knife he throws at her.)

Nikki: Whoa.

(Nina astral projects behind him and kicks him in the back.)

(Nikki plucks the knife out of the air and slices Belthazor. A chunk of skin falls to the ground. Belthazor roars. He grabs Nikki's arm, twists it and hits her in the face. She falls to the floor. Nina astral projects back in her body. She uses her power and Belthazor crashes through the window. He changes back into Cole. He disappears. Nina and Natalie run over to to the window.)

Natalie: He's gone.

Nina: At least for now.

(Leo helps Nikki up.)

Nikki: Ow. Are you okay?

Leo: Yeah. Good thing I'm already dead. Did you get him?

Nikki: Ooh, yeah. (She picks up the skin.) I got a slice.

Nina: Mmm, yum, the other white meat.

Leo: Better him than me.

Natalie: Well, at least now we can work on the vanquishing spell.

Nina: Well, better hurry before Belthazor's encore.

[Scene: FOAM. Fastball is playing there. Nina walks up to Nikki and Natalie who are sitting in the alcove. She sits down.]

Natalie: Hey, how did the photo session go?

Nina: Good

****

Nina: By the way, how was your doctors appointment?

Nikki: It was fine. Everything was normal except my stress level.

Natalie: Oh, I don't mean to stress you out even more but I ran into Ellen and Claire and they said they worked everything out with Mrs. Snyder. What did you say to them anyway?

Nikki: Oh, nothing, I just spoke my mind.

Nina: Maybe you should handle all the meetings.

Nikki: No. Absolutely not.

Natalie: Wow, you're getting good at saying no.

Nikki: Thank you.

Natalie: Anyway I think it's good that we got everything out on the table. And for the sake of innocents everywhere, I think we should always tell each other how we feel.

Nikki: Well, not always. We might kill each other.

Natalie: Okay, then most of the time. Just enough to keep demons away from splitting us up.

Nina: I agree with that.

(Natalie looks around for Cole.)

Nina: Haven't heard from Cole yet, huh?

Natalie: No. I still can't figure that guy out. But I will.

[Scene: Triad. Cole appears.]

Triad #1: I warned you, Belthazor. I warned you what would what happen if you failed us.

Triad #2: He's done more than fail us. He's betrayed us. You've betrayed the source.

Triad #1: He's showed sympathy to the witches.

Triad #3: And squandered a golden opportunity. (A rotating ball of fire appears in Triad #3's hand.) You are allowed one final statement.

Cole: I've got nothing to say. Except...

(Cole pulls out a knife and throws it at Triad #3. Triad #2 throws a fireball at Cole but Cole disappears and it misses. He reappears behind Triad #1 and breaks his neck. He throws a lightning bolt at Triad #2 and he is engulfed in flames. Cole stands there and yells at the top of his voice.)

~*~

AN: hm…these just seem to get longer and longer. I apologize that I didn't have much actual VIP action here, I just wanted to get this part of the plot out of the way. Please review.


	5. Sleuthing with VIP

**__**

Charmed 5

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Nina is making a potion. There are ingredients everywhere. Nikki is on the phone.]

Nikki: Yeah, I'll be late….I have to help Nina with some stuff and then I'll be in. Ok bye. (she hangs up) Okay, even if this works, we still have to find Belthazor.

Nina: Well, I have an idea how to do that but first things first. Cockles.

Nikki: Cockles?

Nina: They're over by the crickets.

Nikki: And what exactly are they?

Nina: Small leaping insects that chirp.

Nikki: That's funny. I meant the cockle shells, not the crickets.

Nina: I'm not really sure but as long as they help vanquish Belthazor that's all I really care about.

Nikki: It would be nice to get back to our lives such as they were.

Nina: Pigs feet.

Nikki: Yecchh.

Nina: Yecchh?

Nikki: Yecchh.

Nina: So you can slice up a chunk of demon flesh but you can't touch pigs foot.

Nikki: I'm a vegetarian.

Nina: Since when?

Nikki: Since now.

Nina: Now is not the time to get squeamish, okay. This recipe is very important. We have to 

follow it to a tee. (Nina puts a pigs foot in the pot and another flame shoots up.) Ooh!

Nikki: Poor piggy.

Nina: Uh, everything's in there, we just need to get the slice of Belthazor flesh and we're good to go. Let's test it. Nats?

Nikki: Something tells me she's not in a vanquishing mood.

Nina: Why not?

Nikki: She's worried about Cole. She hasn't heard from him in over a week.

Nina: And that's a bad thing?

Nikki: Nina.

Nina: You know what? I don't like him and I don't trust him. And is has nothing to do with being a greasy lawyer either.

(Natalie walks in.)

Natalie: Greasy what?

Nikki: Uh, greasy layer. There's a greasy layer on this potion.

Nina: Too much mandrake.

Nikki: Okay, uh, what do you say we do this incantation.

Natalie: Anything to get rid of Belthazor before Cole gets back. And he is coming back.

Nikki: Okay.

Nina/Nikki/Natalie: _Spirits of air, forests and sea, set us of this demon free; beasts of hoof and beasts of shell, drive this evil back to hell._

(The potion bubbles.)

Natalie: Uh-oh, didn't work.

Nina: No, you forgot the Belthazor flesh.

Nikki: Oh yes.

Natalie: How can we forget the Belthazor flesh?

(Nikki gets the flesh out of the fridge.)

Nina: Is it just slack or...?

Nikki: Give me a second, lady. Alright, ready? (She puts the flesh in the pot and it explodes. Nikki falls to the ground.)

Natalie: Nikki!?

(They help her up.)

Nina: Are you alright?

Nikki: It's the attack of the killer pigs feet. Remind me to step back next time.

[Scene: Cemetery. People are there attending a funeral.]

[Cut to a grave. Belthazor falls to the ground and leans against a headstone. He is hurt. He gets up and stumbles over to a mausoleum. He leaves a spot of blood on the headstone.]

[Cut back to the grave. A demon (Krell) appears and wipes the blood off of the headstone. He smells it and looks around. He sees the door of the mausoleum close.]

[Cut inside the mausoleum. Belthazor is hiding in there. Krell walks in.]

Krell: You know what I am, Belthazor. You know you can't escape from me know that you can't shimmer anymore. You'd be pleased, the bounty on you was determined by the source himself. A reflection no doubt of your triumphs and your betrayals. You're wounded, powerless, think of your legacy, Belthazor. I as a legend, not a coward.

(Belthazor runs towards the door. Krell sees him and tries to zap him. Belthazor zaps a column and it falls near the demon. Belthazor runs outside. He changes back into Cole, then back to Belthazor, then back into Cole. Cole walks over to the people who attended the funeral. Krell walks out of the mausoleum.)

Cole: (to a woman) Mind if I hitch a ride?

Woman: Are you going to the wake?

Cole: Yeah, yeah, sure.

Woman: Come on.

[Scene: Manor. The sisters enter the foyer.]

****

Nina: Hey.

Natalie: I'll be back.

Nina: Um, where you going?

Natalie: I am going to school (they go into the living room) and then I'm going to Cole's.

(Natalie puts some books in her bag.)

Nina: Okay, aren't you forgetting something? Like vanquishing Belthazor?

Natalie: Wait, I though you had to write a spell to summon him first.

Nina: Yes, and it's done. I'm using the one that we called Melinda from the past with, just re-wrote it a little bit.

Natalie: Really? Think it'll work?

Nina: Well, yeah, I mean, it should. It's magic calling magic. Although in this case dark magic. Natalie, why are you going to Cole's again? I mean, what do you really expect to find?

Natalie: Mmm, actually, I was gonna go to his office. And how do you know I've already been to Cole's?

Nina: Well, you got a parking ticket there yesterday when you borrowed my car.

Natalie: Oops, sorry, I'll pay for it.

Nina: Natalie, that's not the point. Look, please, don't take this out on me, alright. I'm not the bad guy.

Natalie: I know, I would just like some understanding, you know, some support here.

Nina: Look, I can't support you when I think you're just setting yourself up to get hurt. I have to be honest with you, we have to be honest with each other. That's the promise we made when Belthazor tried to split us apart, remember?

Natalie: Yeah, it just doesn't help that you never really liked Cole from the beginning.

Nina: Yeah, well, I mean, you never really like any of my boyfriends either.

Natalie: That's very true.

Nina: I'm sorry, alright. This is your call and not mine.

(Nikki walks in.)

Natalie: Thank you.

Nikki: Okay, are we gonna do this or what?

Nina: Uh, we are, Natalie's not.

Natalie: Are you sure?

Nina: Yeah, yeah, go to Cole's. It's fine. Uh, we don't need the power of three to vanquish, just the potion.

Nikki: Okay, well, why don't you take this in case.

(She hands Natalie the potion.)

Natalie: Okay, just you guys no more whispering, okay. It's hard enough for me to know that Cole's keeping secrets from me. I can't take it from you too.

(She leaves.)

[Scene: An alley. Cole is there. He has his hand pressed against his wound. He leans against the wall and takes of his coat. He unbuttons his shirt and pulls a rag off his wound. He takes off his shirt and tries to rip it in half. He can't so he changes into Belthazor and rips the shirt in half. He holds part of the shirt against his wound. A homeless man walks around the corner and Belthazor runs away. The homeless man walks over to where Cole dropped his coat and picks it up.]

[Scene: Manor. Dining room. Nina and Nikki are there. They tip the dining table onto its side.]

Nikki: This is gonna be messy.

Nina: That's why we scotch guard. (Nina hands Nikki the potion.) You ready?

Nikki: I'm ready as I'll ever be.

Nina: Alright.

(They crouch down behind the table.)

Nina/Nikki: _Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light, be he far or be he near, bring us the demon Belthazor here._

(It gets windy.)

Nikki: It's working.

Nina: Alright, you ready?

Nikki: Uh-huh.

Nina: On three.

Nina/Nikki: 1, 2, 3.

(Krell appears and they throw the potion at him.)

Nikki: There's no boom. Why is there no boom?

Nina: I don't know.

Krell: Stupid witches.

Nina: He's not... (He tries to zap them and puts a huge hold in the table.) Ooh, you know what? That is an antique!

(Nina uses her power and he flies towards the grandfather clock. Nikki freezes him in mid-air.)

Nikki: Not the clock! We can't afford to keep fixing that thing. (They walk over to him.) Unless Belthazor can morph, that is definitely not him.

Nina: Alright, that doesn't make sense. How did we get the wrong demon? Hey, do you think that you could just unfreeze his head? That way we could ask.

Nikki: His head?

Nina: Yeah, his head.

Nikki: Why not? (Nikki unfreezes his head.) That's different.

Nina: That's cool.

(They laugh.)

Krell: What did you do to me?

Nina: Uh, hi, you know what? You're sort of frozen in mid-air therefore we'll be asking the questions, okay? Who are you?

Krell: Someone who's gonna butcher you if you don't unfreeze me right now.

Nikki: Okay. (Nikki unfreezes him and he crashes into the grandfather clock. Nina gives her a look.) What? It was worth it.

(They go over to him and Nina puts her foot on his chest.)

Nina: Alright, you start talking or we start the bonus round.

Krell: I am Krell, a Zotar.

Nina: Hi, I'm Nina, a Scorpio. Where's Belthazor?

(He pushes Nina's leg off his chest and Nina and Nikki back away. Krell stands up.)

Krell: Wait, don't. I won't attack if you don't. I'm a bounty hunter. I track fugitive demons and it looks like we're after the same one.

[Scene: Outside Cole's office. Natalie walks up to the door, looks around and then walks inside. She sees someone sitting in Cole's chair facing the wall.]

Natalie: Cole? (The chair spins around and a man is sitting in it.) Oh, I'm so sorry, I was just looking for Cole Turner.

Man: Well, that's alright, so am I. (He gets out of the chair and walks over to Natalie.) Reese Davidson. DA Bureau of Investigations. (He shows her his badge.) And you are?

Natalie: Natalie.

Reese: Natalie? Is that like Cher or Madonna, or do you have a last name?

Natalie: No, of-of course. Uh, Halliwell. Natalie Halliwell. Or, uh, Franco if you want, take your pick. Uh, is Cole okay?

Reese: How do you know him?

Natalie: You didn't answer my question.

Reese: I know. Look, I have no idea if he's alright or not. That's what I'm trying to figure out. Nobody's heard from his since Monday. Are you his girl?

Natalie: Yeah, I'm his girl.

Reese: Well, did he mention anything to you about what he was doing? Where he was going?

Natalie: No. A couple of weeks ago he had a suitcase packed but he said his plans had changed.

Reese: What plan?

Natalie: I don't know. Uh, something about a big case that he was working on.

Reese: Hmm... (He picks up a folder.) Now, according to his filing he hasn't been working on a case, big or small. Not for a couple of months. All he's done is file extensions. Makes you wonder what he's been doing with himself. Well, if you think of anything that might help, (he hands her his card) call me okay. Okay?

Natalie: Yeah.

(She leaves.)

[Scene: Manor. Conservatory. Nina, Nikki and Krell are there.]

Krell: I should've known better then to underestimate him. I thought that because Belthazor couldn't shimmer, his other powers were useless as well.

Nikki: So you don't have the power to vanquish him?

Krell: Obviously not. Otherwise I wouldn't have needed to intercept your little calling card, now would I?

Nikki: Hey, you know what? How about next time I just freeze your head and then maybe I could kick you in the--

Nina: Alright, uh, so Belthazor was sent by the triad to kill us. How do we know that you weren't sent by them too?

Krell: You're joking, right? I don't believe this. You really don't know? You're Whitelighter must really be sleeping on the job.

Nikki: Hey, now wait a minute, pal.

Nina: Nikki. What don't we know?

Krell: Belthazor killed the triad. That's why he's on the run, that's why I'm here.

Nina: Why would he do that?

Krell: Probably because they were going to kill him. For failing to kill you. Ironically his inability to shimmer saved him from you killing him.

Nina: So instead we got you.

Krell: Believe me, just the thought of working with you turns my stomachs.

Nikki: Stomachs?

Krell: But right now I'm more interested in killing Belthazor than witches.

Nikki: Hmm.

Krell: Like it or not, we need each other. You can't find him without me, I can't vanquish him without your potion.

Nina: So then you know where he is?

Nikki: Nina, you can't be seriously considering this.

Nina: Answer the question.

Krell: I can track his scent, his blood, when he's in his demonic form not his human one. Fortunately, he can't maintain his human self for long, especially wounded. It drains him.

Nikki: Uh, hi, could you come here, over here, please? (Nina goes over to Nikki.) We've tried working with demons before, it was a bad idea then. And it's definitely a bad idea now. 

Nina: (to Krell) We'll let you know. 

Krell: No, you'll let me know now. (silence) Think fast. Belthazor won't stop trying to kill you. Only the heads of the charmed ones will convince the source to spare him. 

(He disappears) 

Nina/Nikki: Leo! 

[Scene: Outside Cole's apartment. Natalie knocks on the door.] 

Natalie: Cole? Cole, are you in there? ( A neighbour pokes her head out of her apartment.) Oh, sorry. (The neighbour goes back inside. Natalie sees drops of blood on the carpet leading to Cole's apartment. She opens his door.) Cole? Hello?

(She walks inside. She sees more drops of blood leading into his bathroom.) 

[Cut inside the bathroom. Belthazor is there standing behind the door.] 

[Cut back to Natalie.] 

Natalie: Cole? (She walks into the bathroom and sees Cole putting on a shirt. She gets a fright. She sees his wound.) Cole. 

Cole: You really shouldn't be here. 

****

Natalie: Okay, Cole. Come on, lay down. (He lays down on the bed.) Lay down. Easy. Are you okay? 

Cole: Do I look okay? 

Natalie: I'm sorry. Okay, let's see how bad this is. 

Cole: No, no, don't. 

Natalie: Believe me, I've seen worse, Cole. 

(She goes to take off the bandage but he grabs her wrist.) 

Cole: I said don't. Please. 

Natalie: We've got to get you to the hospital. 

Cole: It's not safe there, they'll find me. 

Natalie: Who will find you? What's going on? Who's after you. There was somebody looking for you today at your office. An investigator. 

(He sits up.) 

Cole: You didn't tell him anything did you? 

Natalie: I don't know anything. 

Cole: What did he look like? You sure he wasn't a de-- A? 

Natalie: He said that he was. And he also said that he needed to… (Cole groans.) Okay, come on, back down, back down. (He lays back down.) I'm gonna go get some help, okay. (whispers) Leo? 

Cole: Natalie, come on.

Natalie: Cole, I am not just gonna sit back and watch you die, okay. (whispers) Leo? (to Cole) Um, I am gonna go back to the house, okay, and I'm gonna get Leo. He's a doctor, he can heal you.

Cole: Okay.

Natalie: Are you sure it's safe for you here? 

Cole: They've already looked for me here, they won't be back. Not for a while anyway. 

(She kisses him.) 

Natalie: You'd better be here when I get back. 

(She leaves. Cole changes into Belthazar and then back to himself again.) 

[Scene: VIP. Kay has Nikki on speaker phone.]

****

Nikki: Something came up so instead of being late I won't be able to make it at all today.

****

Tasha: You know Nik, you've been having a tremendous amount of family emergencies lately, what's up?

****

Val: Tasha!

****

Nikki: It's ok Val. It's a fair question. Grams left sort of a legacy for us, and we have tons of stuff to go through. Every time we think we've dealt with everything. That and with Cole, Natalie's boyfriend, MIA, everything's hectic. It'll calm down soon though, I promise. I'll be in tomarrow. Bye guys.

****

Kay/Val/Tasha: Bye. (They hang up the phone)

****

Tasha: I don't believe a word.

****

Kay: Oh, she's telling the truth about Natalie's boyfriend at least though…

****

Tasha: What do you have? 

****

Kay: It seems that Cole Turner has been missing since Monday. Hmm…That's odd…

Val: What? What? ****

Kay: It seems that even though Cole is a successful DA, he's only worked on one case…

****

Tasha: Which one?

****

Kay: The one where he met Natalie, she was a witness,…and he had asked specifically to be put on it….originally another DA was supposed to handle it…Also, it seems he just sorta became a DA, went through law school but nothing else before this job…seems fishy to me.

****

Tasha: Can you get birth records?

{Johnny and Quick enter.}
****

Kay: On it.

Quick: On what? ****

Val: Apparently Nikki's sister's boyfriend isn't who he claims to be..

****

Kay: In more ways than one…I have a birth record for Cole Turner but…The birth date is 1885….but there's no death certificate…how odd…

****

Tasha: I think Natalie may be in trouble….

****

Val: Well, Nikki and her sisters have enough to deal with! We should help them with this!

[Scene: Manor. Attic. Nina, Nikki and Leo are there.] 

Nikki: I don't understand. How can you not know the triad is dead? Don't you think that's kind of important? Especially since, oh, I don't know. They've been trying to kill us for the past couple months. 

Leo: They've heard rumours, talk, nothing substantiated. 

Nikki: Well, I guess you can substantiate it now can't you? Geez, have you been sleeping on the job or what? 

Nina: So, Leo, don't mind her, she's just a little cranky. 

Nikki: Well, you know what? I get that way when demons are trying to kill us. 

Nina: Nikki, I really don't think that Krell is trying to kill us otherwise he probably would've tried by now. 

Nikki: Oh, yeah? Tell that to the dining room table. 

Leo: Is there anything in there on Zotars? 

Nina: Yeah, everything that he said about them which makes me think that everything else he 

has said might be true too. 

Nikki: Including the part about how he likes to kill witches? 

Nina: Including the part about all of us working together. 

****

Nikki: Are you willing to take that risk?

Nina: Are you willing not to? Look, Nikki, if we do nothing and Belthazor somehow gets all of his powers back then we are going to be looking back over our shoulders. Again. Personally I'm tired of that. 

Nikki: I know, I know, okay. 

Leo: If you don't vanquish him now you may not get another chance. 

[Time Lapse. Nina and Nikki are in the conservatory saying a spell.] 

Nina/Nikki:_ Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light, be he far or be he near, bring us the demon Belthazor here._

(Krell appears in the foyer. Natalie walks in the house and sees him.) 

Natalie: Demon! 

(She runs over to him.) 

Nikki: Natalie, no, no, no, Natalie! 

(Natalie jumps up, hangs onto a beam, and kicks Krell in the head.) 

Natalie: What-what is going on? Who is that? 

(Nina, Nikki and Leo walk into the foyer.) 

Nina: He is a demonic bounty hunter who is here to help us find Belthazor. 

Nikki: Why don't you go sniff something while we fill her in. 

Krell: There's no time. I just picked up Belthazor's scent again. 

Nina: Alright, gives us a minute. (to Natalie) Come here. Alright, listen, here's the deal. Belthazor killed the triad, now the source wants him dead. Krell is trying to suck up to the source so he wants to kill Belthazor. 

Nikki: Belthazor wants to kill us so the source won't kill him. 

Leo: And if you work with Krell you can vanquish Belthazor before he kills you. 

Natalie: Works for me. Leo, I have to talk to you for a minute. 

Krell: How do you witches ever get anything done? If we're working together we need to move now. 

Nina: Alright, we're ready. 

Krell: Do you have the potion? 

Nikki: Do you have the scent? 

Krell: I said I did didn't I? You two come with me. The others should go to the old cemetery. 

Leo: Wait, split up? Why? 

Krell: Because he might be hiding there that's why. Evil frequent cemeteries. Makes it difficult for me to track a demon's scent there. Belthazor knows that. 

Natalie: Okay, so why don't Leo and I go to the cemetery and you guys go with him. 

Nikki: Are you sure? 

Natalie: Positive. 

Nina: Alright, let's go, we're ready. Oh, hey, I almost forgot to ask. Did you find out anything about Cole? 

Natalie: Uh, no, nothing at all about Cole. We need to go. (Natalie and Leo leave.)

****

Krell: Can we go now?

****

Nikki: Yes we can. (The doorbell rings) No we can't. I'll get that! 

{Nikki goes to answer the door. Krell throws his hands up in defeat.}

****

Nikki: (Opening the door.) Tasha? Johnny? What are you doing here?

****

Tasha: Kay took the liberty of looking up some information about Cole.

****

Johnny: She found some very interesting things out. (Tasha hands Nikki the folder.)

****

Nikki: I'll, uh I'll look at this. Y'know, we're really busy. Thanks for info. I'm sure Natalie will appreciate it. I have to fo now. Bye.

****

Tasha: Bye…

****

Johnny: I hope everything works itself out soon. Bye.

****

Nikki: Thanks. (She smiles slightly as she closes the door. She goes back to the conservatory.) Ok, we can go now.

[Scene: Outside Cole's apartment. Natalie and Leo are walking down the hallway.] 

Leo: Natalie, we shouldn't even be here. Belthazor… 

Natalie: Can wait. Cole can't. Leo, he will die without your help. 

Leo: Then he should be in a hospital. 

Natalie: He won't go. 

Leo: Natalie, I can not heal mortals, you know that. Not unless they were hurt by evil. It's against the rules. 

Natalie: So break the rules.I just, I can't let him die, Leo. 

Leo: You shouldn't be asking me to do this. 

Natalie: I know, but I am. (They go inside. Cole is sitting on the floor.) Cole. (She runs over to him.) Cole. Come here. (She lays him on the floor. Leo kneels down beside him and takes off the bandage. He starts to heal him and sparks come out of his hands.) Leo, what's the matter. 

Leo: Something's not right. 

(Leo flies back into a chair.) 

Natalie: Leo, are you okay? 

Leo: Yeah, I think so. 

****

Cole: Natalie. 

Natalie: It's okay. You're okay now. 

(Time lapse. Natalie walks into Cole's room carrying a glass of water.)

Natalie: Here you go, baby. 

(He drinks some water.) 

Cole: Thanks. I feel like I've been hit by a truck. 

Natalie: You're lucky to be feeling anything right now. 

Cole: Yeah, I know. (to Cole) You must be one hell of a doctor. 

Natalie: He is. He's the best. 

Cole: I owe you one. 

Leo: Forget it. Natalie, can I talk to you out here? 

Cole: Go ahead. I'm fine. 

Natalie: Okay, I'll be right back. (She kissed his forehead and she and Leo go out in the hallway.) What's the matter? 

Leo: Natalie, listen to me, I think we should get of here now. 

Natalie: I agree. Whoever's after him could come back. 

Leo: That is not what I'm talking about. You saw what happened in there. 

Natalie: Yeah, you healed him. 

Leo: No, Natalie, I only healed part of him. That has never happened before. 

Natalie: Well, maybe it's just because he's weak. 

Leo: That is not the reason. I can heal mortals completely. There is no other explanation. He is not who you think he is. 

Natalie: No. I don't understand. 

Leo: He is a demon, Natalie. For all we know he could be the demon that you are trying to vanquish. 

Natalie: That's ridiculous. 

Leo: Think about it. Okay, they're both hurt, they're both on the run. You saw where Cole's wound is. It is the same place where Nikki cut the flesh from Belthazor. 

Natalie: No, I don't believe it. 

Leo: You have to believe it. 

Natalie: No, I don't, Leo. I don't. Maybe you should just go. 

Leo: No way I'm leaving you here alone with him. 

Natalie: I have the potion don't I? Just go.

(Leo orbs out. Natalie walks back inside. She looks around for Cole. She closed the door and 

Cole is standing behind it. She gets a fright.) 

Cole: Everything alright? 

Natalie: Yeah, everything's fine. 

[Scene: An alley. Nina, Nikki and Krell are there.] 

Krell: I can smell his blood, he's close. 

Nina: Where? 

Krell: Get your potions. 

Nina: You know, it's too bad that he's such a bad guy 'cause he could really come in handy. 

Nikki: Don't push it. 

(They walk down the alley. Krell removes some boxes where a homeless person is sleeping.)

Krell: Vanquish him.

Homeless Man: Hey, what's going on? Who are you?

Krell: It's a trick. He's in his human form. Throw the potion.

Nina: I don't know, Krell. Don't you think he would've picked a better human? Oh, no offense, honey.

Homeless Man: Oh, none taken.

(Krell snatches the potion off of Nikki.)

Nikki: Hey, easy! (Krell throws the potion at the homeless man.) And you call yourself a Zotar.

(Krell picks up Cole's coat and smells it.)

Krell: Where did you get this coat?

Homeless Man: I didn't do anything.

(Krell picks up the guy and pushes him against a fence.)

Krell: Tell me.

Homeless Man: I just found it.

Nina: Leave him alone, he doesn't know anything.

Homeless Man: Yeah.

(Krell starts zapping him and Nina trips him to stop him.)

Homeless Man: Thanks lady.

Krell: Touch me again, witch, and I'll kill you.

Nina: You had no reason to hurt that man.

Krell: I'm a demon, it's my nature to hurt people.

Nina: Yeah, and it's in our nature to protect them.

Krell: He's a pathetic wretch. His life means nothing. If you'd let me torture him we'd know where he found the coat.

Nina: Whatever it takes.

Krell: That's right.

Nina: Well, from here on out, it's gonna take doing this our way.

Krell: Ha, then we will fail. 'Cause your morality cripples you. It blinds you from doing what must be done.

Nina: There are better ways of getting answers out of people, Krell. (She picks up the coat.) Maybe Natalie can get a premonition off this thing.

Nikki: Well, at least we know Belthazor has very expensive taste. (Nina looks at the coat.) What? What is it?

Nina: How long ago did the triad send Belthazor?

Krell: Two months ago. Why?

Nina: Because Cole has one exactly like it.

Nikki: Cole? You think Cole is...(She quickly pulls out the folder that Tasha and Johnny brought over that she had stuffed in her pocket and looks through it.)

Nina: Belthazor's human form. What's that?

****

Nikki: Kay dug up some information about Cole that Tasha and Johnny thought we should have. And I can see why. It says here that Cole Turner was born in 1885, but there's no date of death. 

****

Nina: I doubt they believe it's possible he's alive and kicking at 115 years old.

****

Nikki: But I believe it.

[Scene: Cole's apartment. Cole is in the bathroom. Natalie is waiting out in the living room.]

Cole: Too bad Leo had to leave like that. I didn't really get a chance to thank him properly.

Natalie: He knows.

(Cole comes out.)

Cole: He knows what?

Natalie: He knows how grateful you are.

Cole: Oh. Good. (Cole goes back in the bathroom. Natalie looks in his briefcase. It's empty.) Still, I don't know how he did it. I'd sure like to know what his secret is.

Natalie: (to herself) I'll bet.

Cole: Sorry?

Natalie: Uh, nothing, never mind. Hey, don't you think you should lay down and rest? I mean, you are still hurt.

Cole: I can't. I've still got those people that did this to me to deal with.

Natalie: Yeah, and you won't tell me who they are, huh?

(She looks in his drawers and they are empty too.)

Cole: I really can't.

Natalie: They don't have anything to do with that case you're working on? The reason I ask is because when that DA investigator came by today, he was asking me about it and I realised that I really didn't know anything.

(Cole comes out of the bathroom.)

Cole: Looking for something?

(She holds up a pencil.)

Natalie: A piece of paper. I wanted to write myself a little note.

Cole: It's right in front of you by the phone.

(Natalie laughs.)

Natalie: Thanks. (She picks up the notepad. Cole goes back in the bathroom. Natalie gets the potion out of her bag.)

[Cut to downstairs. Nina, Nikki and Krell walk inside the building.]

Nikki: What are we gonna do?

Nina: We're gonna vanquish him.

Nikki: We're gonna vanquish Natalie's boyfriend? That's gonna cause some problems.

Krell: If you hesitate he's gonna kill us all.

Nikki: Excuse me, I'm having a private conversation over here.

Nina: You know, I can not believe I let him out of that demon trap when I caught him. What was I thinking?

Nikki: Nina, we don't know anything for sure yet. (Leo orbs in.) Leo, what are you doing here?

Leo: I didn't wanna get in between you guys but I didn't know what to do.

Nina: About what?

Leo: I think Cole is...

Nina: Belthazor's human form. Yeah, that's why we're here.

Leo: How did you know?

Nikki: Where's Natalie?

Leo: She's upstairs with Cole, apartment seven.

Krell: Tell me you didn't heal him.

Leo: Well, not completely.

Krell: You idiot.

Nikki: Leo!

Leo: Natalie begged me. I didn't know what to do.

Nikki: You stay here, we'll fix it.

[Cut to Cole's apartment.]

Cole: Is there something wrong, Natalie? Something you're not telling me?

Natalie: Don't you think you think you have that backwards?

Cole: Meaning?

Natalie: You're the one with all the secrets, right?

Cole: Am I? You sure about that?

Natalie: I don't really know what I'm sure about anymore.

Cole: Yeah, I know how you feel.

Natalie: I doubt that.

Cole: I think I know what's going on here, Natalie, and I'm sorry it's come to this. But I'm not sorry about us. You need to know that.

Natalie: You never told me where you were from.

Cole: You never asked.

Natalie: I'm asking now.

Cole: Why don't you ask me what you really want to know, Natalie. I won't lie to you.

Natalie: Who are you?

(Nina, Nikki and Krall burst in.)

Cole: Krell.

(Cole changes into Belthazor. Natalie looks shocked. A knife appears in his hand and he grabs Natalie. Krell tries to zap Belthazor but Nina pushes his hand out of the way.)

Nina: No!

(Belthazor shimmers out of the room taking Natalie with him.)

Nikki: Natalie.

****

Krell: You let Belthazor escape.

Nina: You almost killed our sister.

Krell: Your sister's dead anyway. He only needed her to get away.

Nikki: I don't think Cole will hurt Natalie.

Nina: No, but maybe Belthazor would.

Nikki: Then why hasn't he? He's had so many chances.

Krell: He just used her until he could get all three of you. The Charmed Ones. Why he couldn't follow through I'll never understand.

Nikki: Maybe he fell in love.

Nina: Yeah, or maybe that was just a trick. I mean, demons will do whatever it takes, remember?

Krell: Glad to see I've had a positive influence on you. I can save your sister if it's not too late.

Nina: Why would you want to?

Krell: I wouldn't. But I'll do it if it's the only was to kill Belthazor. Give me the potion. I can find him and get to him faster alone.

Nikki: Nice try. Forget it.

Nina: You already said that you can't track him if can shimmer.

Krell: But he can't shimmer well. He needs time to recharge. Your Whitelighter only healed his human half.

Nikki: I'm sorry, his human half?

Krell: That's why the triad sent him. He understands you. He can blend in. A full-blooded demon could never have gotten so close. Give me the potion.

Nina: If you hurt her, we'll track you down.

(Nina hands Krell the potion. He disappears.)

Nikki: Do you really trust him?

Nina: No. Come on.

Nikki: Where are we going?

Nina: Oh, to where demons hide.

[Scene: VIP.]

****

Tasha: Do you think they even looked at it?

****

Kay: Probably….but what good could it do them…

****

Johnny: I want to know what is up with them. 

[Scene: Cemetary. Belthazor and Natalie shimmer in.]

Natalie: Can we stop shimmering all over the place? I'm gonna vomit.

Belthazor: -----.

(Natalie elbows him in the stomach and flips him over onto the ground. She gets the potion.)

Natalie: And now it's time to vanquish you. (Belthazor changes back into Cole.) Don't even think that's gonna save you.

Cole: I don't. I just wanted you to see who I really am, Natalie.

Natalie: I've seen who you really are... Belthazor.

(She gets ready to throw the potion.)

Cole: Wait, wait, I won't hurt you.

Natalie: No? It's a little late for that don't you think? Why? Why didn't you just kill me? Why did you have to put me through all this? Was it some sick twisted demonic thrill? Was that what it was?

Cole: No, that's not it.

Natalie: Then what was it?

Cole: I couldn't kill you. I tried. I was supposed to. I mean, at first you and your sisters thwarted my attempts. 

Natalie: That was you?

Cole: Then Andras. I got him to strip your powers, to make you vulnerable. I had you too, right where I wanted you. All I had to do was finish the job. But I couldn't. Because I realised I loved you.

Natalie: You bastard.

Cole: That's the truth, Natalie. I admit everything else was a lie, but not that. I know you know that too. In your heart. This isn't a mask, Natalie. It's who I am. Who I really am. I'm half human. My father was mortal.

Natalie: You're lying.

Cole: How else would I bleed red? Even as my demon self. You have to believe me, Natalie. I forgot what it was like to be human. To feel, to care. Then I met you.

Natalie: No, it doesn't change anything. Because you're still a demon.

Cole: One who's done unspeakable things. (Krell appears near by.) But you've awakened something in me, Natalie. Something I thought had died a long time ago. My humanity, my ability to love.

Natalie: I wanna believe you.

Cole: Then let me prove it to you. (Cole spreads out his arms.) Vanquish me.

(Krell zaps him. He flies through the air and lands hard on the ground.)

Natalie: Cole! (She runs over to him.) Cole, you've gotta get up. Cole, get up! (She helps him up.) Come on, come on! (She helps him into a mausoleum. Krell zaps near them. Cole coughs and leans on a coffin.) Cole, no, don't do this. Come on.

(She helps him walk over to a corner of the mausoleum. He sits down. Krell walks in.)

Krell: I should've known you'd come back here.

Cole: Don't hurt her.

Krell: You disappoint, Belthazor. You've changed, you let your weaker human side affect your better judgment. It's going to cost you your life. (He holds up the potion. Natalie kicks it out of his hand and then kicks him. She blocks his punches and kicks him again. He falls over a coffin. Natalie jumps on top of the coffin and as she jumps back off to kick him, he disappears. He reappears behind her.) Witch.

(She turns around. He holds up his hand ready to zap her.)

Cole: Nooo! (Cole zaps Krell and vanquishes him. Cole stands up.) Do you believe me now?

(Natalie walks over and kisses him.)

[Cut to outside. Nina and Nikki are there.]

Nina: Natalie?

Nikki: Natalie!

[Cut back in the mausoleum. Cole and Natalie are still kissing.]

Nikki: (from outside) Natalie!

(They stop kissing.)

Cole: I better go.

Natalie: They'll keep looking for you until they find you.

Cole: Your sisters?

Natalie: Them too.

Nikki: (from outside) Natalie?

Natalie: Give me your shirt.

(She starts taking off his shirt.)

Cole: My shirt?

Natalie: Hurry up. (He takes off his shirt and Natalie drops it on the ground. She picks up the potion and gets out the dagger.) Give me your hand. Trust me.

(Natalie cuts Cole's hand with the dagger and squeezes the blood onto his shirt. She drops the potion onto his shirt and it burns and makes a loud noise.)

[Cut to outside. Nina and Nikki hear the noise.]

Nina: Natalie.

Nikki: There.

(They run towards the mausoleum.)

[Cut back inside.]

Natalie: Nobody will look for you anymore. You're dead.

Nikki: (from outside) Natalie!

Natalie: Down here. (to Cole) You have to go. Please.

(They kiss and Cole shimmers out. Nina and Nikki run in.)

Nina: Pheebs?

Nikki: Natalie, thank god you're okay.

(They see the burning pile.)

Natalie: He killed Krell.

Nina: And you did what you had to do.

(Nina hugs her.)

Natalie: I know.

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Natalie is lying on the couch holding Cole's dagger. Nina and Nikki walk in. Nikki's holding a tray of food.]

Nikki: We brought you some comfort food.

Natalie: Thanks, I'm not really that hungry.

Nina: You wanna talk?

Natalie: I don't know what there is to talk about. You were right as usual.

Nina: I didn't wanna be right.

Natalie: I know. Believe me, Nina, you have nothing to apologise for. But I do. What I did was...

Nikki: Natalie, he fooled us all, not just you.

Natalie: That's not what I mean. I don't know, I just, I feel so... ashamed.

Nikki: You can't be so hard on yourself.

Nina: You didn't do anything wrong, you know.

Natalie: Didn't I?

Nina: Well, the important thing is that it's over. We can get on with our lives now.

Nikki: At least until the next Belthazor attacks. We'll leave you alone.

Nina: Let us know if you need anything.

Natalie: Thanks.

****

Nikki: Wait, you might want this…(She hands Natalie the folder on Cole) I don't know if it will help or not but it's some information my friends at VIP dug up on Cole.

****

Natalie: (Taking the folder) Did you ask them to?

****

Nikki: Nope. They did it n their own.

****

Natalie: Tell them thanks for me.

****

Nikki: I will.

(Nikki and Nina walk out of the room.)

~*~

AN: Ok, I'm gonna try and make these a little shorter from now on, unless you like 'em this long. Just sometimes they don't want to end, and then I have to try and fit VIP in which isn't easy when it comes to the chapters that really deal with the plot. (Which I have and will be revealed. It's actually the same on in Charmed. Aren't I the creative one?) But the next chapter is gonna have less plot and more VIP. I hope, they don't always turn out the way I want. Anyways please Review.


	6. Awakened

**__**

Charmed 6

[Scene: FOAM. Nikki's at the bar waiting for Natalie. She coughs and gets a glass of water and takes a sip. Natalie comes up to the bar.]

Natalie: Guess what! I am now "Natalie Halliwell, college student."

Nikki: Wait, you enrolled? (Natalie nods.) Natalie, this is huge.

Natalie: Hugest thing I've done since Grams died. I mean, aside from vanquishing demons and saving the world from evil of course. Okay, so I signed up for two general courses. (Natalie gets a piece of paper out of her bag and hands it to Nikki.)

Nikki: And seven electives. Seven, Natalie?

Natalie: Alright, so I'm a little confused. I could use some advice. What do you think I should take? (Nikki coughs.) Honey, are you okay?

Nikki: Yeah, its just a little cough.

Natalie: I bet Nina made you have soup at lunch today after she heard that little cough.

Nikki: I had to cancel actually. We had a problem with a client at VIP.

Natalie: So I guess you missed your massage today also.

Nikki: A reporter from the San Francisco called and had a ton of questions about VIP. And Tasha refused to let Val do it alone.

Natalie: Nikki, you have got to take care of yourself. You've been feeling funky since yesterday.

Nikki: It's probably just a bug.

Natalie: Even more reason for you not to push it.

Nikki: I'm fine, besides it's all paying off, I'm finally actually getting to work, now would you slice. 

(Natalie picks up the knife and a piece of fruit.)

Natalie: Why am I slicing?What kind of fruit is this anyway? 

Nikki: In case you forgot Ms. College student, we all promised to help out a bit while Relic is on a case. And since Nina and I unloaded the cartons, you are slicing. Andit'sKewano. It's from South America. And great for Mai Tai's. One of the bartenders has a connection at the docks. 

Natalie: Wait, they smuggled it in? Does Relic know?

Nikki: Oh, it's fruit, Natalie, not drugs. And actually I don't think so. (she coughs again)

Natalie: Look, just because we're witches, does not mean you're invincible. Okay, you need to start taking care of yourself.

Nikki: Thank you, Doctor.

Natalie: Hey, "Doctor Natalie Halliwell". I like it. Hm…maybe "Doctor Natalie Franco." I like that one too…which should I use?

****

Nikki: How about you slice? (she coughs again)

Natalie: Nikki, you need to go home.

Nikki: Natalie, I'm fine, I'm just… Natalie you're right.

(Nikki faints.)

Natalie: Oh my God. Call 911.

[Scene: Hospital. Nikki's lying in a bed hooked up to some machines. Nina's standing there. Nikki wakes up.]

Nina: Hey.

Nikki: Nina?

Nina: You're awake.

Nikki: What happened?

Nina: You don't remember?

Nikki: I remember being in the club and talking to Natalie and then I gotta admit, it's a little fuzzy.

Nina: You collapsed and we called an ambulance.

Nikki:. So what's wrong with me?

Nina: Um, they don't really know. We're just sort of waiting for blood test results.

Nikki: I'm sure it's nothing too exciting. It's probably something trendy like mono or Epstein Barr.

Nina: Yeah, well, whatever it is you're gonna take the time to get better.

Nikki: You sound like Natalie. Where is she anyway?

[Cut to outside. Natalie walks up to the receptionists desk. The nurse has her back facing Natalie.]

Natalie: Uh, hi. Nurse person. (The nurse turns around.) Can you tell me where Dr. Wallis is. He said that my sister's test results should be in by eight and it's twenty past eight now.

Nurse: What's your sister's name?

Natalie: Nikki. Nikki Franco. Thank you. Nikki Franco.

Nurse: Nikki Franco has been transferred to Dr. Williams care. If you have a seat in the waiting area, I'll page him.

Natalie: What happened to Dr. Wallis?

Nurse: I'm sure that Dr. Williamson will be able to answer all of your questions. Please, have a seat in the waiting room.

Natalie: Okay.

(Natalie sits down. A boy in a wheelchair comes up to her.)

Boy: Are you sick too?

Natalie: No, I'm not sick.

Boy: Then why do you look so sad?

Natalie: My sister's here and they don't know what's wrong with her.

Boy: The doctor's don't know what's wrong with me either. Maybe your sister and I have the same thing.

Natalie: What is your name?

Boy: Nathan.

Natalie: Well, hello, Nathan. I'm Natalie. And who is that?

(She points to a Ninja doll sitting on his lap.)

Boy: Ninja doll. I found him in the children's ward.

Natalie: You know, I don't think that's a ninja doll. If I know my ninja dolls, I think that one's really a magical wi…zard.

Nathan: Really? How can you tell?

Natalie: Well, let me see him. (She takes the ninja off of him.) I've seen what his type can do. He's got powers. He can move things and freeze things and can kick box too. And the really cool thing about him is he can do all this to the demon…to the bad guys inside your body without anyone even knowing about it.

Nathan: Really? He can freeze the bad guys and move them?

Natalie: And kick box them too. Don't forget that. Right out of your body. All you have to do is when you feel bad, you close your eyes and just picture him fighting them for you. Do you think you can do that?

Nathan: Yeah.

(Dr. Williamson and some other Doctors walk up to Natalie.)

Dr. Williamson: Natalie Halliwell? (Natalie stands up.)

Natalie: Yes.

Dr. Williamson: I'm Dr. Williamson.

Natalie: Hi. (to Nathan) Bye, it was nice to meet you.

Nathan: See ya.

Natalie: And who are they?

Dr. Williamson: Medical interns. They'll be viewing my work with your sister.

Natalie: Because…

Dr. Williamson: Because they're studying the same field that I did. I'm an infectious disease specialist.

(Dr. Williamson and the other doctors walk into the room where Nikki is.)

Natalie: Specialist? Wait.

Dr. Williamson: Miss Franco, I'm Dr. Williamson.

Natalie: Um, he's a specialist.

Nikki: Where's Dr. Wallis?

Dr. Williamson: I'll be keeping him posted. How are you feeling?

Nikki: Okay. A little hot.

(Dr. Williamson's pager beeps.)

Dr. Williamson: Have you been out of the country recently? Africa, South America, Caribbean?

Nikki: I wish. No. I haven't been out of the city.

Dr. Williamson: Well apparently you've attracted a blood disease rarely seen in the United States, Arroyo fever.

Nina: How is that possible?

Dr. Williamson: Well, Arroyo fever's transmitted through a bite of sand fly which dies right after the bite. Have you had anything imported brought into your home recently.

Nikki: No.

Natalie: But they have in the club. What was the name of that weird fruit?

Nikki: Kewano.

Dr. Williamson: That's a possible carrier. Sometimes the fly's been known to live long enough in the crate to make the trip but rarely survives the quarantine period.

Nikki: I think I have a bite on my shoulder.

(She shows him the bite.)

Dr. Williamson: When did you get this?

Nikki: Just after I opened the fruit.

Dr. Williamson: (to a doctor) Tell the nurse I need ten cc's of penildron.

Doctor: Right away.

Dr. Williamson: It's a high grade antibiotic which will be most effective when it administered through an I.V. Should bring your fever down. (His pager beeps again.) I gotta run some more tests. I'll be back shortly.

Natalie: Excuse me, she's gonna be okay, right? I mean, it's not life threatening.

Dr. Williamson: Well, I'll know better after I run more tests. Excuse me.

(He leaves. Natalie sits on the bed. Nina and Natalie stare at her smiling.)

Nikki: I'll be okay.

Nina: Yeah, I mean he didn't seem too worried. Just prescribed antibiotics.

Nikki: The tests are just to confirm his diagnosis I'm sure.

Nina: Yeah, don't you agree, Natalie?

****

Natalie: I just want you to get well soon.

(Natalie rests her head on Nikki's stomach.)

Nikki: I know and I will. Now you get outta here. Nina, go to Bucklands, Natalie, go to wherever it is you got to (Natalie shakes her head no) and someone please call VIP so they doesn't worry.

Nina: Okay. Bye. Love you.

(They leave.)

[Scene: VIP. Natalie is explaining everything to them.]

Johnny: Is she gonna be okay?

Natalie: You know, that's what's so frustrating. They won't tell us anything. Damn doctors.

Val: Can we see her? Where is she?

Natalie: Los Angelos Memorial.

****

Johnny: She's gonna be fine. Nikki's strong and healthy and she's a fighter.

Natalie: You've noticed too have you? (Natalie's cell rings. she answers it.) Hello?

Nina: Yeah, Nats, the hospital just called. They need for us to get down there right away.

Natalie: Why? What happened?

[Cut to the hospital. Natalie and the VIP gang run down the corridor to Nikki's room. Nina's standing at the doorway.]

Natalie: Nina, what's going on?

Nina: I don't know. All they said was that her condition has worsened.

Natalie: What is that supposed to mean?

Quick: It means that we're not gonna leave the door until we find out.

Nina: Dr. Williamson.

Dr. Williamson: Unfortunately your sister's immune system isn't as strong as we thought it would be and antibiotics are having no effect on the disease.

Natalie: So what do we…what do you do now?

Dr. Williamson: Well there's nothing more we can do.

Nina: What do you mean by that? What are you saying?

Dr. Williamson: Well, either Nikki pulls out of the coma on her own or I'm afraid your sister's not going to survive.

(Natalie starts crying.)

{Scene: Manor. Attic. Nina and Natalie walk over to the Book of Shadows.]

Nina: Okay, we can't let Nikki die.

Natalie: No, we can't but Nina, this isn't a demon or a warlock that we're up against.

Nina: Alright, there are spells in here to vanquish demons, then there's gotta be a spell in here to vanquish a lousy bug.

Natalie: Okay, but even if there is a spell, how do we get past the personal gain issue, the consequences?

Nina: What consequences? The power of three remains unbroken, innocents are saved. I don't really see a down side to that, do you?

Natalie: Nina, if good witches could really vanquish diseases, do you think there'd be one sick person in the world?

Nina: We have to save Nikki.

Natalie: I agree. All I am saying is before we resort to the Book of Shadows, maybe we should call Leo.

Nina: We don't even know how to contact him. He's always just sorta been around.

(Nina and Natalie start calling him.)

Nina/Natalie: Leo? Leo?

(Leo orbs in and startles Nina and Natalie.)

Natalie: Whoa, it worked.

Nina: Alright, Leo, look Nikki is very…

Leo: Very sick, I know. That's why I could hear you calling. I've been near by watching.

Natalie: Wait, you've been watching her this whole time and you haven't healed her?

Leo: I can't. They know about Nikki too and they won't let me interfere. I'm not even supposed to be here right now.

Nina: Leo, you can't just let Nikki die.

Leo: Don't you think I would do something about it if I could.

Natalie: But she's your charge!

Leo: I know. But, even if I could help her my powers probably wouldn't even work because she wasn't fighting evil. (the Whitelighters call him.) I have to go, they know I'm here. I'm sorry. (He orbs out.)

Natalie: Screw the consequences.

(They start searching through the Book of Shadows.)

[Scene: VIP. Everybody but Nikki and Johnny are there.]

****

Val: I hope Nikki is okay….

****

Kay: I know…with all the emergencies she and her sisters have to deal with everyday this is the worse thing that could happen.

****

Tasha: I'm still not sure about all these family emergencies of theirs, but I am worried about Nikki.

****

Val: And Johnny too. He'd be heartbroken is she died.

****

Quick: (he nods) He's really worried about her. I can't get him to leave the hospital…

[Cut to the hospital. Nina and Natalie are walking down the corridor.]

Natalie: Do you really think the awakening spell's gonna work?

Nina: Better. Alright, Look, I'll get Nikki's blood. Are you sure that you can get a poppet?

Natalie: Positive. I'll meet you in her room.

Nina: Alright.

[Cut to Nikki's room. A nurse is drawing blood from Nikki's arm. Johnny's there. Nina walks in.]

Nina: How is she?

(The nurse puts a small container full of Nikki's blood on a tray. Nina uses her power and it floats over to her and she puts it in her pocket.)

Johnny: No change. It just looks like she's sleeping but I can't wake her up.

Nina: She'll wake up, I promise.

[Cut to Nathan's room. He's playing with the Ninja doll. Natalie walks in.]

Natalie: Hey, Nathan. Remember me?

Nathan: Natalie, I was hoping you'd come back.

Natalie: Really? Why?

Nathan: You were right. The wizard did it. I feel great. Just like I used to.

Natalie: The power of positive thinking.

Nathan: The power of magic. The doctors are letting me go home in a couple of days.

Natalie: Oh, that's great, Nathan. I'm so happy for you. You know, I was wondering if you would let me borrow the wizard for a while. My sister could use a little magic right about now.

Nathan: She can keep him. I don't need him anymore.

Natalie: Thank you.

[Cut to Nikki's room. Natalie enters.]

Natalie: Hey. (She notices Johnny there.) I was gonna bring back some sodas but the machine down the hall was busted and I didn't know where to find another one.

Johnny: I'll find it.

Natalie: Really? You don't mind?

Johnny: No, it's no trouble. I'll be back in a minute. (He leaves.)

Natalie: I got him. Let's do this. (Natalie puts the ninja on Nikki's stomach. Nina puts a drop of Nikki's blood on the ninja. They touch the ninja and Nikki and start saying the spell.)

Nina/Natalie: _Troubled blood with sleeps unease, remove the cause of this disease._

(Dr. Williamson opens the door.)

Natalie: Nina!

(Nina uses her power and shuts the door. She keeps her hand held out to keep the door closed.)

Dr. Williamson: Hey! (He tries to open the door.)

Nina/Natalie: _Sleep eternal never more, and shift this source of illness borne, to this poppet whom none shall mourn_.

Natalie: Nina, it's not working.

(Suddenly, Nikki springs up into a sitting position. Natalie hugs her.)

Dr. Williamson: Come on, open the door! (The door opens.) Who's blocking the damn door?

Nina: What's up, Doc?

Dr. Williamson: (He sees Nikki awake.) When did this happen? Miss Franco, are you feeling alright?

(You see Natalie put the ninja in the bin. The camera zooms into the bin and you see the ninja's eyes open.)

[Cut to outside the room. Johnny and two other nurses go into the room.]

Johnny: Nikki!

(She sees the cans of soda.)

Nikki: Are those for me?

(He hugs her.)

Johnny: You're okay.

Nikki: Yes I am okay.

Dr. Williamson: This doesn't make any sense. Fever's gone, vitals are normal. I've never seen anything like it. The infection's gone too.

Nikki: So can I go home now?

Dr. Williamson: (to the nurses) Draw some blood. I wanna run comparatives.

Nurse: Yes, Doctor.

Nikki: Um, then can I go home? Because no offence, but I hate hospitals.

(Nina, Natalie and Johnny laugh. They climb on the bed and lay all over Nikki.)

Nikki: Get off me.

[Cut to inside the bin. The ninja sits up. A nurse walks over and puts something in the bin. The ninja pushes his sword through the plastic and it pokes the nurse on the leg.)

Nurse: Ow!

(She walks away. The ninja then cuts through the plastic and jumps out.)

[Scene: FOAM. There's no one in there except Nina, Nikki, Natalie, Vip, Relic and a bartender. They have music on.]

Relic: Turn it up. (Nina turns the music up. Relic walks over to the bartender.) Alright, you can go home. I'll clean up. Hey, Nikki I want to apologize. If I had known asking you and your sisters to help would have landed you in the hospital, I wouldn't have.

****

Nikki: Don't worry about it. Not even Natalie saw that one coming. And believe me she sees almost everything coming.

(The bartender leaves. Natalie runs over to Quick who's sitting down.)

Natalie: Dance with me, Quick.

Quick: It's almost two in the morning.

(She pulls him out of the chair.)

Natalie: So what. Come on, you're young.

Quick: Stop the music, stop that music. (He manages to get free from her grip and sit back down.)

(Natalie goes over to Nina. Johnny puts his arms around Nikki.)

Nikki: Somebody need a nap?

Johnny: You know what? That's not fair. You've been asleep for almost twenty-four hours .

Nikki: And I know you've been up for almost twenty-four hours by my side. I can't tell you how much that means to me, being there for me. Hangin' tough.

Johnny: It wasn't that tough.

****

Nikki: Now go home. I'll see you tomorrow. All of you! You need your rest! We can finish up here for you Relic. We have lots of energy to burn!

****

Relic: I can see that. Ok. (He tosses Nikki the keys.)

(They leave. Nikki walks over to Nina and Natalie who are playing patty-cake with their hands.) 

****

Nikki: Okay, spill.

(They stop clapping.)

Natalie: What are you talking about?

Nikki: You guys cast a spell didn't you?

Nina: (innocently) Who, us?

Nikki: Yeah, you. Not that I'm not grateful to be cured because I am, but what about that little personal gain problem?

Natalie: Okay, but don't you think we would have seen any consequences by now? It's been hours.

Nina: Yeah, maybe saving a protector of the innocent isn't really personal gain.

Nikki: Maybe. Like I said, I'm not complaining. I'm just glad you didn't call Leo. Strange though with all the demons we've faced, this bug, this thing was the scariest of them all.

Nina: Yeah, you don't have to convince us.

Nikki: I love you guys.

Natalie: We love you too.

(They hug.)

Nina: Hey, just don't ever scare us like that again.

Nikki: Don't worry.

Nina: Ooh, ooh! Oh, God, I almost forgot. I have to get that Monet authenticated by tomorrow.

Natalie: At this hour?

Nina: Why not? I'm wide awake.

(Nina leaves.)

Nikki: I guess I should clean up.

(Nikki starts cleaning up. Natalie stands there dancing and then she notices Nikki is moving very quickly. She gets faster and faster.)

Natalie: Uh, Nikki. Nikki!

(She stops in front of Natalie.)

Nikki: What?

Natalie: I think I found a consequence.

[Scene: Hospital. The nurse that was poked by the ninja is lying on the bed breathing heavily. Another nurse rings someone up on the phone.]

Nurse: Get me Dr. Williamson.

[Cut to Dr. Williamson. His phone rings.]

Dr. Williamson: Yeah? Okay, put them both on penildron though I doubt it'll do them any good. Call me if there's any changes.

(He hangs up. A guy walks up to him.)

Guy: And what can Centre from Disease Control do for you this fine middle of the night, Dr. Williamson?

Dr. Williamson: I've really got something for you this time, Seiger. I wouldn't have called you if I didn't.

Dr. Seiger: You know, it's not very ethical to try and get the government to validate your findings just so you can get published.

Dr. Williamson: This'll get me more than published. I've got an outbreak of Arroyo fever in this hospital.

Dr. Seiger: That's impossible. Arroyo fever isn't contagious.

Dr. Williamson: It is now. I've got three patients with the disease in isolation.

Dr. Seiger: How'd they get it?

Dr. Williamson: I don't know. But however they did has something to do with the first person who came down with it. Nikki Franco.

[Scene: The next morning. Manor. Kitchen. Nikki and Natalie had been up all night. Nikki is making breakfast.]
    
    [Cut to outside. Disease Control people pull up in their trucks and go inside. Dr. Seiger walks up to Nikki and Natalie.]

****

Dr. Seiger: Nikki Franco?

****

Nikki: What's going on? 

****

Dr. Seiger: I'm Dr. Seiger from the Centre from Disease Control. We have a court order to take you and your sister into custody and to quarantine your house until further notice.

[Scene: Hospital. There are lots of reporters and cameras there asking Dr. Williamson questions.]

Dr. Williamson: No, I would not classify this as an epidemic at this stage. Although that's for Dr. Seiger from the C.D.C. to determine, not me. All I can tell you is an outbreak has occurred in the hospital and we've contained it.

Reporter: Dr. Williamson, how do you know it's contained? How can you be sure?

Dr. Williamson: Because we've identified the initial carrier.

[Cut to VIP. They're watching the news.]

[Cut back to the hospital.]

Reporter #2: Who is it? What's his name? Is it a patient?

Dr. Williamson: We've identified the initial carrier and we brought her and anyone she may have affected down in the isolation ward.

Reporter #2: Is it true they closed down the night club called FOAM because of the outbreak?

Dr. Williamson: That is a question that can be answered by Dr. Seiger.

Dr. Seiger: Yes, I can confirm that an establishment by the name of FOAM has been quarantined. But only as a precautionary method.
    
    [Cut back to VIP.}

****

Val: So that's where Nikki is…

****

Johnny: We should go.
    
    {The group grabs their coats and leave.}

[Cut back to the hospital. Natalie and Nikki are locked in a room in the isolation ward. Natalie's knocking on the door.]

Natalie: Hello? Remember us?

(A nurse talks into an intercom outside the room.)

Nurse: I'm sorry, we can't hear you. What is it you want?

Natalie: We wanna get the hell outta here. That's what we want.

Nurse: Dr. Williamson will be right in to discuss the situation.

Nikki: Discuss what? I feel fine.

Nurse: Dr. Williamson will be right in. (She leaves.)

Natalie: This is ridiculous. Why won't they tell us anything?

Nikki: They're lucky they're in the other room, I'd freeze their butts.

(A doctor opens the door and Nina walks in.)

Natalie: Oh, Nina, thank God.

Nikki: You're obviously not here to get us out.

Nina: When I got home, someone from the C.D.C. was waiting for me and they took like a quart of blood.

Natalie: Ditto.

Nikki: Well, they might as well have taken all of mine.

****

Nina: Look, I overheard some doctors talking. There's others here that are infected with the disease.

Natalie: But I thought that it wasn't contagious.

Nina: Yeah, so did I. (She sees the intercom.) So, can they hear us?

Nikki: No.

Nina: Did either of you sleep by any chance?

Natalie: Sleep? Nikki was bouncing off the walls last night.

Nikki: It's gotta be a consequence of the awakening spell you guys cast.

Nina: I have a bad feeling that's not the only consequence.

[Cut to Nathan's room. He's asleep. The ninja walks in.]

[Cut back to Nina, Nikki, and Natalie. Dr. Williamson walks in.]

Dr. Williamson: Sorry to keep you waiting.

Natalie: What, no mask?

Dr. Williamson: No, I don't need it. None of us do. However the disease is being spread, it's not airborne. I just ruled that out.

Nikki: Great, then we're free to go.

Dr. Williamson: Afraid not.

Natalie: You can't keep us here.

Dr. Williamson: Actually, I can, by law. Not just because your sister circumvented it by opening the uninspected fruit, but because she's carrying a rare disease that has every possibility of spreading to epidemic proportions.

Nina: I thought that you said it wasn't contagious.

Dr. Williamson: Arroyo fever isn't supposed to be contagious.

Natalie: Well, then maybe you misdiagnosed it.

Dr. Williamson: I didn't and aside from the fact that I had no idea how this disease is being spread there's another little mystery that's concerning me. Your recovery makes no clinical sense. Your blood has no antibodies which means your immune system has never fought it off. By all medical standards, you should be dead by now, Miss Franco.

Nikki: What's the matter, Doctor? You don't believe in miracles?

Dr. Williamson: Not the kind that don't leave traces, no. I've got six people infected and there's nothing I can do to save them unless I figure out how it is you survived. I'm gonna run a series of tests on all three of your blood work. Even DNA sampling. Maybe it's a genetic marker, I don't know. But I'm gonna find out and you're not leaving until I do.

(He leaves.)

Natalie: Well, his bedside manners sure could us a little work.

Nikki: Six people? How's that possible?

Nina: When we did the spell, we must have awakened everything in the room including the disease.

Natalie: So, do you think there's anything different about our blood because we're witches?

Nina: I don't know but our first priority is to figure out how to help save these people.

Natalie: Yeah, but even if we can find a spell to save them, how do we prevent it from spreading to other people.

Nikki: You have to reverse the spell.

Natalie: No, Nikki, we can't reverse the spell because…

Nina: You could go back into a coma, you could die.

Nikki: I'm not gonna die. Just reverse the spell and call Leo so he can heal me.

Nina: Nikki, um, we already talked to Leo, he's not allowed to help.

Natalie: They won't let him.

Nina: Um, look, Nikki, we don't know the reversal spell anyway.

Natalie: Yeah, and they won't let us outta here to get it.

Nikki: Nina can get it.

Nina: No, I can't. Okay, I can not just astral project on command. I can't control it like that.

Nikki: You can learn to control it just like you learned to control your other power. Just concentrate.

Nina: Nikki, I can't and I won't.

Nikki: Nina, you have to try. We can't let anybody else die.

(Nina shuts her eyes and tries to astral project. She appears in the attic. A nurse looks in the room and sees Nina standing still with her eyes closed.)

Nurse: (through the intercom) What's wrong with her?

Natalie: Nothing. She's fine.

[Cut to the attic. Nina finds the spell and tries to remember it. She astral projects back into her body.]

Nina: Whoa.

Nikki: Did you see it?

Nina: Yeah, Nikki, I don't…

Nikki: Nina, we've already discussed this. For some reason there's no magical out for me but there is for the others. Please.

Nina: _What was awakened from it's sleep, was once again slumbered deep._

(Nina and Natalie touch Nikki.)

Nina/Natalie: _What was awakened from it's sleep, was once again slumbered deep_.

(They repeat it.)

[Cut to Nathan's room. The ninja is on the bed. He raises his arms while holding his sword, ready to stab Nathan. Then the ninja turns back into a doll and falls on the floor.]

[Cut to Nina, Nikki and Natalie. Nikki collapses on the floor.]

Natalie: Nina, Nina, get help.

(Nina bangs on the door.)

Nina: Help!

(Dr. Williamson and some other doctors run in.)

Dr. Williamson: Help me get her on the bed. (They pick her up and put her on the bed.) You girls wanna tell me what the hell is going on? Get her on the monitor. Miss Franco, Miss Franco, can you hear me? Assist in respiration. Starting CPR.

{Natalie and Nina start crying.}

****

[Scene: Hospital. VIP runs up to reception.]

Tasha: Nikki Franco, what room is she in? What room is she in, damn it. We're family.

[Cut to Nikki. Kay, Val, Tasha, Quick and Johnny enter the room.]

Dr. Williamson: (He gives the nurse instructions and she races off.) She's not responding to CPR. Come on, Miss Franco.

{Nikki's spirit rises out of her body. You see a bright light. She appears in a place that's bright and golden. Someone is walking towards her. It's Leo.}

Nikki: Leo?

Leo: Hurry, take my hands. We don't have much time.

Nikki: Am I dead?

Leo: No, not yet. Not if you take my hands.

Nikki: I don't understand.

Leo: It's the only way, I can heal you. The only chance I have of them not finding out. Hurry.

[Cut back to the room.]

Dr. Williamson: Give me the paddles.

Nurse: Charging.

{He gets the paddles and applies them to her body.}

Dr. Wiliamson: Clear.

{The gang goes over to Nina and Natalie who are sobbing and try to comfort them. Johnny looks pained.}

Nurse: No response. I'm not getting anything.

Dr. Williamson: Again.

Nurse: Charging,

Dr. Williamson: Clear.

[Cut back to Leo and Nikki.]

Leo: You can't die.

{He holds his hands above her hands.}

[Cut back to the room. Nikki's dead.]

Nurse: Time of death, 9:40am.

{Nina and Natalie both sob. Quick hugs Natalie. Johnny turns away. Val and Kay start to cry and Tasha's expression is emotionless.}

[Cut back to Nikki and Leo. Leo heals her. Cut back to the room. She floats back in her body.]

Nina: Wait, I think she's responding. There's a heartbeat.

(Nikki starts coughing.)

Dr. Williamson: Nikki? What the hell? This is incredible.

(Natalie, Nina, Kay, Val, Quick, Johnny and Tasha go over to her and kiss and hug her.)

Natalie: Are you okay?

****

Val: Nikki, that was mean to scare us like that!

****

Kay: I thought you had a full recovery before though.

Nurse: B.P. 105 over 60. Pulse is strong.

Nurse #2: I don't understand. What happened?

Dr. Williamson: I don't know but I'm gonna find out.

[Scene: Foam. Relic gives a box of fruit to a guy.Nikki, Natalie, Nina, Kay, Val and Tasha are sitting at the bar.]

Relic: These haven't been inspected yet. Put them in the back. We're returning them to the supplier.
    
    {The guy nods and leaves}

****

Nikki: I can't say that I'm going to miss the fruit.

****

Natalie: Good riddence to bad fruit!

{Quick and Johnny walk up. Johnny sits next to Nikki.}

****

Johnny: So, planning on any more trips to the hospital with miraculous recoveries that we should know about?

****

Nikki: See, I can't tell you that. I decide these things when I wake up. 

****

Quick: Really?

****

Nikki: Oh yeah. Like yesterday, I, well I didn't wake up cause I never went to sleep, but in the morning I decided it would be nice to go back to the hospital and scare the shit out of every one.

****

Nina: Yeah, remind me to break you of that habit.

****

Natalie: I should try that. Y'know, there were some really cute guys at that hospital…If I hadn't been so worried about you I'd have a date tonight.

****

Nikki: You're dateless and it's my fault?

****

Natalie: Yep.

{They all laugh.}

****

Tasha: So, Nikki, seriously, how do you feel?

****

Nikki: Tired. But I think that's a good thing.


	7. Animal Pragmatism

**__**

Charmed 7

[Scene: VIP. Val, Maxine and Kay are looking over a book. Tasha, Quick, and Johnny are trying to avoid them. Nikki walks in and looks at the cover of the book]

****

Nikki: Hey,Is that a book of love spells?

Maxine: Yeah, found it in the valentine display over at the bookstore.

(She hands it to Nikki.)

Tasha: It's stupid.

Val: Is not.

Maxine: We just figured, you know, since we're dateless this year, maybe it'll give us some laughs.

(Nikki laughs to herself while reading the book.)

Val: What?

Nikki: Oh, nothing. It's just they've got it backwards. You'd never say it in that order. First you say what's lacking and then what's needed. Here, try this. "_From strike of twelve count twenty-four, that's how long the spell is for, if to abate my lonely heart, enchant these gifts I thee impart_." See? (Everybody stares at her shocked.) Um, Natalie's doing a paper on the growing popularity of witchcraft. She can't shut up about it. 

****

Val: That's cool! Has she tried any spells?

****

Nikki: She's…tried..some…

****

Maxine: Have any worked?

****

Nikki: You'd have to ask her…

****

Tasha: This whole witchcraft thing is stupid, there's no such thing as magic.

****

Nikki: (under her breath) That's what you think

****

Val: Your such a spoilsport, Tasha!

****

Kay: Wouldn't it be cool if magic was real though?

****

Val: I know! I could just twitch my nose and have a new outfit! 

****

Maxine: Oh I know! And we wouldn't have to bother with cooking!

****

Nikki: It doesn't work that way. You can't use magic for your own personal gain. There would be consequences.

****

Val: What?

****

Nikki: It's a wiccan rule. There are bad consequences when you use magic for your own personal gain.

****

Johnny: How do you know that?

****

Nikki: ….It's in Natalie's paper…

****

Val: It's like in the Spider Man movie, where the Grandfather goes, "With great power comes great responsibility." Right?

****

Nikki: Yeah. Like that.

[Scene: Val and Maxine's place. Maxine, Kay and Val are about to do the love spell. A pig, a rabbit and a snake are on the floor.]

Kay: Okay, I'm freaked. Can we turn some lights on?

Val: No, we can't. Can we?

Maxine: It'll spoil the mood. Come on, it says to join hands.

(They join hands.)

.

****

Maxine: Okay, let's do this. Say it with me.

Maxine, Kay, Val: "From strike of twelve count twenty-four, that's how long the spell is for, turn these gifts into a mate, and then my lonely heart abate."

(Nothing happens.)

Kay: Okay, that was fun. Can I go now?

Maxine: Wait, didn't Nikki say some of the words were wrong?

Val: Why don't you call her?

Maxine: I don't have to. The power of technology.

(She gets her tape recorder and plays it.)

Nikki's voice: _From strike of twelve count twenty-four, that's how long the spell is for, if to abate my lonely heart, enchant these gifts I thee impart._

(A bright light and smoke fill the room. Then the animals turn into three naked men.)

[Scene: Next morning. Manor. Kitchen. Nikki's there. Nina comes in looking like she just woke up.]

Nikki: What's wrong with this picture?

Nina: Okay, is that rhetorical or do I actually have to open my eyes to look at something?

Nikki: Well, it's a weekday and Natalie Franco is already at campus, while Nina Franco, master of the morning meetings, sultan of scheduling and queen of...

Nina: Cut it.

Nikki: How's it feel to be footloose and office free?

Nina: Amazing. You know what I'm gonna do today?

Nikki: What?

Nina: Absolutely nothing.

Nikki: Really? Nina, Nothing entails physically doing nothing, thinking about nothing and worrying about nothing, as suppose to your sister here who's so in the middle of something.

****

Nina: What are you in the middle of?

****

Nikki: Going to work. Bye.

****

Nina: Why you..You got me worried!

****

Nikki: Your not doing nothing very well are you?

(Nikki leaves)

[Scene: Val and Maxine's place. The three animal guys are dressed in Val and Maxine's clothes.]

Pig guy: I need to eat.

****

Maxine: (to the pig) You've already eaten everything in our fridge. Val will be back with food any minute. Just wait, okay?

Rabbit guy: Whoa, what are we supposed to do until then?

Snake guy: Fine question. What should we do? You two are acting like nothing's changed. Like you're still trapped in the confines of your cages. Behaving like animals.

Kay: That's what you are.

Snake guy: Not anymore, thanks to you. You've been given a gift. It's time to take it out for a test drive. What it looks like from up here.

Maxine: You can't. I mean, you have to stay here. (They walks towards the door.) Wait. 

(They leave.)

****

Kay: What are we going to do?

****

Maxine: Well, the spell only lasts twenty four hours right?

(Kay nods) 

[Scene: VIP.Tash, Quick and Nikki are there. Nina walks in.]

****

Nina: Hey, sorry to barge in but we thought we'd come visit for awhile.

****

Quick: Your welcome here all the time.

****

Tasha: Where is Kay? 

****

Nikki: Relax. There's coffee. They probably just stayed up late playing with that spell book of theirs and they're sleeping in. I wouldn't worry.

****

Nina: So, um, do you need help with anything?

Nikki: What happened to doing nothing?

Nina: I'm finished.

Nikki: You can't finish doing nothing.

Nina: So then how do you know when you're done?

****

Tasha: I'm gonna go have lunch. ( she gets up to leave)

****

Quick: I'll go with you. If Nikki doesn't mind staying here.

(Natalie enters)

****

Nikki: Go eat lunch. I don't care. I'll just antagonize my sisters.

****

Natalie: Wait…Antagonizing is my job…

****

Nikki: Not today

****

Natalie: (Pouting) But..

(Quick laughs as he and Tasha leave)

Natalie: Okay, guess what I saw on Nat TV.

Nikki: No, not a premonition. It's valentines day. Can't there be some kind of supernatural day off?

Nina: What did you see?

Natalie: There was a guy on campus harassing this girl, so I tried to stop him and wham! it was 

really weird. Like a guy biting a girl.

Nikki: Biting? Or kissing? It is that time of year, it could've been kissing.

Natalie: Hmm, maybe, it could of been I guess.

Nina: Most people kiss on valentines day, except of course for witches. No, witches don't get to kiss on valentines day because something always comes up.

Nikki: Okay, so maybe it was just some drunk frat guy and his chick of the moment.

Natalie: Yeah, maybe. It just, it wasn't very clear. And then I followed him and I think he jumped over this wall.

Nina: He jumped over a wall?

Natalie: Yeah, well, there was a ladder pretty close.

[Scene: Outside Val and Max's place. Val, Max, and Kay are walking in with groceries and guys clothes.]

****

Kay: Maybe we should change them back?

****

Maxine: I agree but how?

****

Val: Maybe we should ask Nikki…

(They walk in their room. The rabbit, pig and snake guy are there. The snake's holding the spell book.)

Snake guy: What does this mean?

Maxine: It's a spell. That's what made you human.

Rabbit guy: Yes, but for how long?

(You see his fingers are starting to turn back into rabbit claws.)

Snake Guy: He asked you a question.

Kay: Twenty-four hours. Actually now it's more like twelve.

Snake Guy: Well, fix it. We've decided we would like to stay this way.

Rabbit Guy: Yeah, we're having fun.

Val: Yeah, sure looks like it. Am I wrong here but aren't you supposed to be mine?

Snake Guy: Aren't you having fun, Val? You know, you can have much more fun if we had more time.

Maxine: I might know how.

Kay: No.

Maxine: Okay, we can't but I might know someone who might. Nikki.

Val: Wait, I know where she lives.

Snake Guy: Show us the way.

Pig Guy: Uh, we're gonna eat though, right?

Kay: Guys, I really don't think we should…

Snake Guy: Why don't you go on ahead. We'll catch up. (Val and Maxine leave.) Now why do you have to be such a little trouble maker?

[Scene: Book store. Nikki and Natalie are picking out a card for Leo.]

Natalie: Thanks for keeping me company.

Nikki: Better here than at the club with Nina. Her boredom has turned her into the demon of decoration.

Natalie: Why don't they make a card that says "You're a mortal and I'm a witch and a demon will probably attack us on a date and try to kill but we can still make it work."

Nikki: Hey. (Nikki picks up a card.) How about this one? (She reads it.) Oh, yeah, yeah, very sweet. Ta assussa sasa.

Natalie: And what is that supposed to say?

Nikki: That says something in Portuguese but at least you won't have to worry about him taking it the wrong way.

Natalie: Thank you. (Nikki notices the spell book in the shop.) "To the special person who lights up my day. I'll treasure you always."

Nikki: Ohh, of course.

Natalie: And then I'll spit up on myself.

(Nikki laughs.)

Nikki: Ooh, the girls at VIP are reading this. (She picks up the spell book.) We are so in right now.

Natalie: We are not in. Love is and this stuff gives people hope that they can find it.

Nikki: Yeah, the problem is people think they can get into magic without dealing with the consequences.

Natalie: But this stuff, none of it's like in the Book of Shadows. For one thing, it doesn't really work. I mean, normal people can't make this work. (Nikki remembers something.) Right? Nik?

Nikki: Not without a little help. Um, I have to go call Nina. I think I need her help with something.

(Nikki runs off.)

Natalie: Something to do? She'll be thrilled. (Natalie picks up another card.) Okey dokey. (All it says on it is "For you always.") Now that's a card. (She puts it back and picks up another one.) This'll do.

[Scene: Manor. The rabbit guy smashes the glass on the front door and puts his hand in to open the door.]

Maxine: You can't do this.

Val: This is going too far.

(They walk inside.)

Snake Guy: Rules like cages, were meant to be broken.

Maxine: Okay, since leaving campus, you guys have beaten a pedestrian to a pulp and played chicken with a car. Are you on something?

Val: Or just your average crazy? Look, Kay seemed fine but if she's really not feeling well like you said, we should go home. Or at least call her.

Snake Guy: We need Nikki.

(The pig guy pulls some skin off the back of the snake guys neck and there's snake skin underneath.)

Maxine: Oh, my God.

Pig Guy: What's happening?

Rabbit Guy: We're changing back.

Val: The spell said this would happen. Look, Nikki's not here and there's nothing we can do to change things. It's not like we made up the rules. So, why don't you just like let us go?

Maxine: God, Kay was right. We shouldn't have done this.

(The snake grabs Maxine. She screams and he bites her on the neck. She falls to the floor.)

Snake Guy: She talked too much.

(The rabbit guy grabs Val.)

Val: Don't touch me.

Pig guy: Guys stop! This isn't fun anymore.

Rabbit guy: Yes it is.

Snake guy: Next time you want a dangerous man, you might wanna make sure he's not poisonous.

(She screams and he bites her on the neck. She falls on the floor.)

Pig guy: Why'd you do that? Are they...?

Snake guy: They will be.

Rabbit guy: Don't we need both of them and Nikki for the spell? That's how it worked before.

Snake guy: Four hours until we turn back. Four hours until they die from the poison. I think that information might motivate this Nikki to help us. (His snake tongue sticks out.) Her scent, it's everywhere. She's not here right now.

Pig guy: Let's go home, okay guys. I've had enough. We're not meant to be like this. (He starts 

crying. They walk up to him.) What? Come on, guys, what? No. Not me.

(They both squeeze him really hard and he starts squealing like a pig. He falls to the floor.)

Snake guy: I didn't think he'd ever shut up.

[Scene: Outside Val and Max's place. Nina and Nikki walk up to the door]

****

Nina: (uses her power and unlocks the door. They walk in.) God, this place is a mess. I mean, boys are bad but this is a pig sty.

Nikki: I don't think they did this.

Nina: Hey, is this the spell book?

(The book's on the floor.)

Nikki: Yeah.

(They hear noises in the closet.)

Nina: What was that?

Nikki: It's in the closet.

(They walk over and open the closet. Kay is in there locked in a cage.)

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Nina, Nikki and Kay are there.]

Nikki: Look Kay, I know what you've been through has been really hard but the only way that we can help you is if you tell us what happened.

Kay: There's no way that you'd understand.

Nina: You won't find two more understanding people in this particular instance.

Kay: It just sounds crazy and you'll think that I'm...

Nikki: Very brave for facing whatever it is.

Kay: You remember that spell that we showed you in VIP? Well, it worked. Not liked it helped us meet guys, it helped us make guys out of animals.

Nikki: And you did this from the spell in that book?

Kay: Yeah, and we even played back the tape that we were recording in VIP so we could here your corrections for the spell. (Nikki and Nina look at each other.) But before we had a chance to chant the new version, there they were.

Nina: Alright, so what is it you think these men want with you?

Kay: I don't know. Maybe it's our fault because we tried to make them into something they're not.

Nikki: No, you can't blame yourself for the actions of other people. We're gonna fix this. First we have to fix you. I'll be right back. (She walks in the kitchen and looks in a cupboard.) If I were hydrogen peroxide, where would I be? (She hears a noise in a closet.)

[Cut back to Nina and Kay. Nina notices the broken glass on the door.]

Nina: Nikki!

[Cut back to Nikki.]

Nikki: Nina, where do we keep the hydrogen peroxide?

(Nikki opens a closet and the pig guy falls out on top of her. Nina and Kay run in the kitchen. Nikki pushes the pig off her.)

Kay: Oh my gosh. He was one of them, except he didn't look like that.

Nina: The spell must be wearing off.

Nikki: They're starting to look and act more like animals.

Nina: Alright, look, they have killed one of their own, there's no telling what they're gonna do or what they already have done to your friends.

Nikki: Do you know what they want?

Kay: You.

Nikki: What?

Kay: They're having fun and they wanna stay this way and Maxine told them that you'd be able to help them.

Nikki: Where are they now?

Kay: There. (She gets the flier for the valentine party at FOAM off the fridge.) That's where I think they'll be.

[Scene: Side of the road. The snake guy and rabbit guy are there with a broken down car. A car drives past and they wave him to stop.]

Man: You guys need some help?

Snake guy: You could say that. I think we're outta gas.

Man: What can I do for you?

(The snake guy's eyes turn into snake eyes.)

Snake guy: You could not scream.

(The rabbit guy jumps on the bonnet of the car. Then the snake guy jumps on the roof, runs across it, leans over the edge and strangles the guy. Rabbit guy opens the boot of the other car and Val and Maxine are in there.)

Rabbit guy: Okay, ladies, papa's gotta brand new set of wheels.

[Scene: Val and Max's place. Johnny, Quick and Tasha are there looking around.]

****

Quick: What could have happened to them?

****

Tasha: I don't know, but everything is in pieces…

****

Johnny: Except this. (He holds up a flier for the party at FOAM)

****

Quick: Do you think that they're there?

****

Johnny: It's a long shot.

****

Tasha: It's our only shot. Let's go.

[Scene: FOAM. Natalie's talking on her cell phone.]

Natalie: Nina, the place is full of snakes. How am I suppose to pick out the right one? Okay, you're five minutes away? Okay, as fast as you can would be good.

(She hangs up.)

****

Relic: Is everything OK?

****

Natalie: When is it ever.

(Natalie's date comes in)

****

Ethan: Hey. Will you be my valentine?

Natalie: I hope so. 

Ethan:. So let's get started.

Natalie: Um, about that.

Ethan: You're kidding. Just tell me you're kidding.

Natalie: What?

Ethan: Wait, let me guess, It's something with your sisters, or maybe you'll be vague and just say something important's come up, or my favourite of all time - it's a matter of life and death.

Natalie; Actually, what I was going to say, if you would let me, is that I'm running a little late and could you please wait for me at the bar.

(She walks away. The rabbit and snake guy enter the club. They walk around looking for Nikki. Nina, Nikki and Kay enter the club. Nikki's holding a pen and paper.)

****

Leo: Hi guys.

Nina: Hey.

Leo: Natalie's stressing in the alcove.

Nina: Kay, Leo, Leo, Kay. Can you watch her for us for a little while please?

Leo: Yeah, sure.

Nina: Nikki, how's the spell coming?

Nikki: It'd be coming a lot better if I could get my hands on a pinch of the salt of life.

Leo: We got the salt of margaritas.

Nikki: I will take it.

(Nina and Nikki go in the alcove.)

[Cut to the alcove.]

Nina: Hey, how's my stressed out sister?

Natalie: Well, we've moved past something and straight into everything. The view sucks, I don't recommend it. How goes the battle plan?

Nina: Well, we didn't find anything in the Book Of Shadows.

Nikki: Which makes sense because the animen or whatever were created by careless magic, not supernatural evil.

Natalie: So where does that leave us?

Nina: In the hands of our spellbinding sister who's writing a little hocus pocus to turn these men back into animals before they get completely out of control.

Nikki: Easier said than done. I do not write well under pressure.

Nina: Any sign of him?

Natalie: Nope.

(Leo comes in and hands the salt to Nikki.)

Nikki: Oh, thanks Leo.

Leo: Uh, Kay says Val and Maxine aren't here.

Kay: But _they _are.

(They see snake guy and rabbit guy coming towards them.)

Snake guy: Nikki, so nice to smell you.

Nikki: He just spotted me.

(The snake peels some skin off his face and snake skin is underneath.)

Nina: Okay, how are we doing on that spell?

Nikki: You know, you keep throwing this 'we' word around and I don't see you doing anything.

(Johnny, Quick and Tasha enter and go to the alcove after seeing Kay standing outside of it.)

****

Quick: Kay! Your OK! 

****

Tasha: Where are Val and Maxine?

****

Nikki: You know, if everybody would just stop talking this would go faster!

****

Natalie: (Putting down the book of spells after reading the spell that had been cast) Do you want help?

****

Nikki: That would be nice!

****

Nina: They're coming this way!

****

Nikki: Stall them!

****

Kay: I still don't see Val and Maxine!

(Tasha sees the two guys coming towards them.)

****

Tasha: I don't know what this is about, but Johnny, Quick and I can hold them off. (Johnny and Quick nod. Quick and Tasha pull out their guns and the three go out towards the two guys.)

****

Nina: No! Don't! (Nina astral projects behind the two animal guys, where Johnny, Quick and Tasha can't see.)

Nikki: Okay, I got it.

Snake guy: (to Nina) Make us human. By the time we find your friends, they'll be dead.

Nikki: Okay. "_Something wicked in our midst, in human form these spirits dwell..."_

Nina: Nikki, no!

(Nina astral projects back in her body.)

Nikki: "_Make them animals sayth the spell_."

Nina: Nikki, they hid the girls. Okay, we need to keep them human until we find out where they are.

(Nikki looks out of the alcove and sees everyone in the club has turned into animals.)

****

Nikki: Ohh!

Nina: Okay, what's going on?

Nikki: Uh, the good news is the spell worked.

Nina: And the bad news?

Nikki: The spell worked on everyone.

(Nina and Natalie look out of the alcove.)

Natalie: Does Relic have a permit for this kind of Party? Look, I'll write the next spell.

****

Nikki: Good idea.

[Time lapse Scene: FOAM. Nina and Nikki are putting the rabbit and snake in boxes.]

****

Nina: At least we don't have to try and figure out what species our innocence are.

Nikki: Yeah, but if Kay's right and they're not here, then what?

Nina: Well, right before you cast the spell, the snake said something about if we don't make them human, then the girls will die.

Natalie: Okay, so how much time do we have?

Nikki: Kay said the spell lasts for twenty-four hours and they cast it at midnight, so...

Nina: That's in thirty-five minutes.

****

Natalie: Okay, you know, You guys I'll clean up this mess (Nikki manages to look sheepish) You guys have to find Val and Maxine because if my premonition was right...

Nikki: As they always are.

Natalie: And they probably were both bitten by that snake, which means that if they don't get medical attention they could die.

Nina: Alright, we'll go try find something in the car, a hint that will lead us to them.

Nikki: Okay, Natalie, you try and turn this room back and we will try to find the girls and...

(A monkey kisses Natalie on the cheek.)

Natalie: Um, uh...

Nikki: Go kiss someone else.

Nina: Let's take these guys with us, make sure they don't turn human.

(They pick up the boxes.)

Nikki: Are you sure we've got the right ones?

Nina: Well, yeah, it was the only rabbit and snake next to each other.

Natalie: And the only two that put up a fight. (Nina and Nikki start walking towards the door.) Whoa, they're fleeing. Nikki, how about a little supernatural choral? (Nikki freezes all the animals.) Thank you. (Nina and Nikki leave.) Okay, I would like you all to know that I'm vegetarian, okay. I have never eaten any of you.

[Cut to outside. Nina and Nikki are carrying the boxes out to the car park.]

Nina: Why do I have to carry the poisonous snake?

Nikki: Because you're the oldest.

Nina: So?

Nikki: So you've lived a full life.

Nina: Wait, you think that's the car over there?

Nikki: What, you want me to ask him?

(She shakes the box.)

Nina: You know what? You're a smart ass. Come on, we don't have much time.

(They walk over to the car and puts the boxes on the ground.)

[Cut back to Natalie. The animals unfreeze. A dog starts eating Natalie's herbs.]

Natalie: No! Bad dog. Icksnay on icklingay. Alright, you know what? Nobody bothers the witch, okay. If we all remain calm, I will have everything under control and back to normal, alright?

[Cut back to Nina and Nikki. They'd just finished looking in the car.]

Nikki: Nothing. Now what?

Nina: Trunk. (Nina uses her power and opens the trunk. They see Val and Maxine there.) Oh my God.

(Nikki feels their pulse.)

Nikki: They have a pulse. It's still there but it's faint and we need to get them to the hospital now.

Nina: Alright.

[Cut back to Natalie.]

Natalie: "_Undo the magic acted here, reverse the spell so all is clear_."

(All the animals turn back into humans.)

[Cut back to outside. The rabbit and snake turn back into humans as well. The snake grabs Nikki. 

The rabbit goes over to Nina.]

Nina: Piss off, Thumper! (She uses her power and he crashes into wooden boxes. The snake tries to bite Nikki.) Oh, oh!

Nikki: What's happening?

Nina: Natalie reversed the spell. It must of worked on all the animals. Nikki, hold on.

(Nina uses her power and Nikki and the snake fly through the air and hit the wall. The rabbit 

jumps on and she kicks him off. Nikki grabs a long piece of wood and hits him between the legs.)

Nikki: How's it feel to be a man now? (She punches him in the face and knocks him out. The rabbit gets ready to scratch Nina and Nikki freezes him.) What do you say we wake up Dr. Poison here and move him... move, uh, Thumper there right into his fangs.

Nina: I've got a better idea. Come on.

[Time lapse. A policeman is putting snake guy and the rabbit guy in the car.]

Rabbit guy: At least we're human for good now.

Snake guy: Shut up.

(The car drives off. Nina, Nikki and Natalie are standing there.)

Nina: So it looks like they got what they wanted. They get to be treated like humans.

Natalie: And caged like them too.

(Relic comes up to them.)

Relic: You three sure are re-writing the book on public service according to some officers over 

there

Nikki: So are they gonna be okay?

Relic: Yeah. They're on their way to the hospital. I think you found them just in time. How did... I'm not even gonna ask.

[Scene: Inside FOAM. Nikki and Kay are in the alcove. Tasha, Quick and Johnny, while thoroughly confused went to see Val and Maxine. Nina is at the bar getting a drink and Natalie is dancing with her date.]

****

Kay: So you're a witch. That's how you knew about all the wiccan rules and stuff.

****

Nikki: Yeah, that's where all my family emergencies come from also. But Kay, You have to promise not to tell anyone. 

Kay: I promise! I'll even cover for you at work. 

****

Nikki: Thanks.

(Nina comes and sits down handing Kay a drink)

****

Nina: I see that she's going to keep our secret. That's good.

****

Kay: I'll leave the magic to the proffessionals and just stick to computers!

(Nina and Nikki laugh.)

[Scene: The hospital. Val, Maxine, Tasha, Quick and Johnny are there.]

****

Val: No I swear! We were bitten by a snake that was turned into a man! And he wanted Nikki because she could make a spell that would make him human forever, or so he thought.

****

Tasha: The people qho kidnapped you two are in jail, and they are full blooded humans.

****

Maxine: She's tellng the truth! Just ask Kay! We cast that spell that Nikki changed for us and it turned a snake, a pig, and rabbit into men!

****

Quick: Sure, whatever.

****

Val: I think I know what Nikki meant by consequences.

****

Maxine: But it wasn't personal gain.

****

Johnny: Yes it was. Supposing what you told us was true. You cast a spell to find yourselves dates. That has personal gin written all over it.

****

Quick: Well, whatever happened, at least Nikki and her sisters were able to find you before it was too late.

****

Johnny: How did they know though?

****

Tasha: Kay probably asked for help.

****

Quick: I can see her asking Nikki, but why Nikki's sisters and not us?

****

Val: I don't know. Maybe Nikki's sisters were there when she asked?

****

Tasha: Just another mystery we aren't going to figure out unless Nikki decides to come clean about what's going on.


	8. Chick Flick

**__**

Charmed 8

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Nina's kneeling on the floor holding her camera and taking photos of Nikki, who's looking out the window.]

Nina: Hmm, so I think I'll call this "woman pretending to not look out the window."

Nikki: How about "girl about the pour hot tea on sisters head." Let me see. (Nina shows her the photo.) 

Nina: Well, I don't think I'll comment since you do have hot liquid over my head. You OK?

Nikki: Yeah. I just have a weird feeling something is going to happen. I'm gonna go take a shower.

Nina: Okay.

(Nikki walks out of the living room and Natalie walks in.)

Natalie: Hi doody.

Nikki: Hi doody.

Nina: Hey. (Natalie sits down on the couch. She has a smile on her face.) Someone's in a good mood. What's his name?

Natalie: Billy.

Nina: Natalie, you didn't?

Natalie: What?

Nina: You went to go see "Kill It Before It Dies" at the revival house didn't you?

Natalie: No, why would you think that I... (Nina raises her eyebrows.) Okay, I did. But you know what? It was research.

Nina: Okay, what kind of class sends you to the movies?

Natalie: No, not for school, for me. I mean, if I', supposed to figure out what I want from a guy, I might as well start with the first guy I fell for, don't you think? Billy is the ideal man.

Nina: He's a character in a movie. One that I might add you weren't even supposed to watch.

Natalie: When I was twelve. I think after a year and a half of battling monsters I can handle a scary movie. Did I mention that Billy is the perfect man?

Nina: Once or twice.

(The doorbell rings.)

Natalie: I will get that. (Natalie gets up and answers the door. The camera stays focused on Nina.) Can I help you?

Nina: Nats, who is it?

(Suddenly Natalie goes flying through the foyer.)

Natalie: Aaahhh!

(The demon of Illusion walks in the foyer.)

Demon: Get up you miserable witch.

Nina: Hey, if you don't have anything nice to say.

(Nina uses her powers and the demon crashes into the grandfather clock.)

Demon: And then there were two.

(He runs outside.)

Natalie: Ow, ow.

(Nina helps her up.)

Nina: You okay?

Natalie: Oh, sure.

Nina: Come on, come on, come on.

(They run outside. Nikki comes down the stairs.)

Nikki: Alright, who took my l...

(She notices the mess on the floor.)

[Cut to the movie theatre. Nina and Natalie walk in. The movie "Kill It Before It Dies" is playing. 

The seats are empty except for one guy who's sitting in an aisle seat eating popcorn.]

Nina: I cannot believe they made us pay.

Guy: Shh.

Natalie: Sorry.

Nina: He's gotta be hiding in here somewhere.

Guy: Excuse me, but do you think you might keep it down. This is my favourite part.

Natalie: Ooh, mine too. This is when Billy comes on and then th...

Nina: Nats, we need a spell.

Natalie: Okay, but we know nothing about this guy. I can't just whip one up.

(They see him near the front row.)

Nina: Oh, he's making a break for it.

Natalie: Um, "_evil that has traveled near, I call on you to disappear, elementals hear my call, remove this creature from these walls_."

(The demon disappears in a puff of smoke.)

Guy: That was the most coolest thing I have ever seen.

Natalie: It's all part of the show, sir. (to Nina) I can not believe that that just worked. It seemed too easy.

Nina: Wow, we are getting way too tough for these guys. (They start walking out of the cinema and Natalie keeps watching the movie.) No, no.

(They leave. The demon appears on the screen. He laughs evilly.)

[Scene: Manor. Foyer. Nina, Nikki and Natalie are cleaning up the mess.]

Natalie: How am I supposed to know what his deal is? He likes moonlit walks, thinks holding hands is under rated, and enjoys in his spare time killing witches.

Nikki: It was a question for the room, Nats. When a demon makes a house call, my curiosity gets peaked.

Nina: Yeah, well, the house is a mess again. I mean, how come we can't fight the demon of cleanliness or the demon of housekeeping, or even that really big bald guy, Mr. Clean? I would so totally take him on.

Nikki: But I don't get is the order of things. Don't we usually start some place dark and dreary and then end up at the manor for the big old vanquish?

Natalie: Wait a minute. He followed me home. I knew I recognised him from somewhere. He was at the movies and then he followed me home.

Nina: Well, he had a reason to attack us, so he would of found us sooner or later.

Nikki: But the question is why? I mean, we usually don't vanquish someone without knowing who, what, where, when...

Nina: Well, what about the how? How did you know how to vanquish him?

Natalie: Well, remember the spell that we used for the bunyip? Well, I just combined that with the one for the demon with the horn coming out of his...

Nikki: Forehead?

Natalie: Yep.

Nikki: Nice work. I wish they all went this smoothly.

[Scene: 415 magazine. Nina and Mr. Corso are walking down the corridor. Mr. Corso is talking on his cell phone.]

Mr. Corso: Talk to anyone who was in the movie theatre at the time. Well, find out what happened before the fight broke out. No, but I got a location which is where you should of been fifteen minutes ago.

Nina: Are you talking about the revival house on Larkon?

Mr. Corso: Not unless you know something I don't. Do you?

Nina: Well, maybe not about this.

Mr. Corso: Okay, you're gonna be working with one of our staff writers. Finley's running late to the interview so you're gonna have to shoot him...

Nina: Finley? Finley, as in in Finley Beck? (They walk in a room.) Finley Beck?

Mr. Corso: You know him. And here I thought you were just a beginner.

Nina: Okay, he is the whole reason why this beginner got started. He is amazing. Have you met him?

Mr. Corso: Not in person. I just know him through his press.

Nina: Alright, well, (she grabs his book off the table) I mean, the pro's in this is mediocre at best. They didn't even cover his-his period in Germany. Not only is he a gifted photographer but he just seems so, so giving and warm.

Mr. Corso: A fan?

(The door opens and Finley is there yelling at someone.)

Finley: And you can tell him I said so. (He walks in.) Can we get started? I'm on a schedule.

Nina: Hi, I'm, um, Mr. Beck, I'm-I'm Nina Franco.

Finley: So when's this photographer blessing us with his presence?

Nina: That would be me.

Finley: You're twelve.

Nina: Oh, I'm good.

Finley: I'll decide that. Oh, please tell me you're not planning on shooting me in digital. Oh, no, no, no, not now, not tomorrow, not ever. Digital is for amateurs. Careful dear, your true colours are showing. Why don't you do something useful and get me some tea.

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Nikki's there. Natalie walks in the back door.]

Nikki: Hey, how was school?

Natalie: Will someone please tell me what is up with guys?

Nikki: You don't really expect me to have an answer for that do you?

Natalie: Okay, so I have lunch with this guy from lab, right? He is totally melotonan boy.

Nikki: That bad?

Natalie: I'm keeping his number in case I have trouble sleeping.

Nikki: That bad.

Natalie: So I'm sitting there trying desperately not to fall asleep and all I kept thinking about was yesterday.

Nikki: I know, we still have no idea who he was or how you vanquished him.

Natalie: No, not that. Billy. The guy from the movie and I know that this is reality but why can't a guy like that exist in my reality? (Leo orbs in.) Here I am talking about the shortage of perfect men and in orbs one.

Leo: Unfortunately, I'm here to talk about the bad guys.

Nikki: No shortage of those.Okay, fill in a blank. It's the demon of...?

Leo: Illusion. Apparently he uses magic somehow to create violence in society. They told me he's here to make San Francisco his trade. He's got a scar below his eye.

Natalie: And a goatee? Not a problem, we vanquished him last night.

Leo: Are you sure? 'Cause they wouldn't of sent me.

Nikki: Unless the demon isn't gone.

Natalie: Okay, you call Nina, I'll go to the Book Of Shadows. We gotta get back to that revival house.

[Scene: In the movie theatre. Nina, Nikki and Natalie walk in. Nikki freezes the audience.]

Nikki: Alright, now what?

Natalie: Well, when we last saw the demon, we vanquished him at 9:06...

(The demon appears on the screen.)

Nina: And now he's in act three.

Demon: Actually I was just leaving. I should've known the disappearing demon routine wouldn't of fooled you for long.

Nina: Yeah, all you really did was piss us off.

(She tries to use her power on him but it doesn't work.)

Demon: Silly wiccan. Tricks are for kids.

Nina: Nikki.

(Nikki tries to freeze him.)

Demon: This is the world of Illusion and you girls are reality. You powers, unlike mine, can not cross between the two.

(Billy comes on the screen.)

Billy: Sally Mae? Sally Mae, where are you? It's getting dark an... (He notices the demon.) I thought you said you weren't gonna cause anymore-

Demon: Shut up!

Natalie: Hey! (Billy looks at Natalie.) Oh my God, I think he's looking at me.

Billy: Hi.

Natalie: Hi.

Nina: Okay, I hate to put a dampener on your little love connection here, sis, but we need to kick some ass.

Demon: Oh, is that what you're gonna do? How cute. How clever of you. (Natalie smiles and winks at Billy.) Any idea on how you intend to do that? Or are you just gonna flirt me to death like your little tardy sister.

Billy: Watch your language in front of the ladies. Consider that a warning.

Demon: I'm sorry, was it the word 'sister' that bothered you? How about bitch. Does that go down easier?

(Billy jumps on the demon and they both come out of the screen and they roll around on the floor.)

Natalie: Nina, stop him.

(Nina uses her power and the demon is thrown through the air. Billy stands up and he's still in black and white.)

Demon: You're off the screen. How did you...? Thanks for the inspiration, sport.

(He runs outside.)

[Scene: Manor. Attic. Nina, Nikki, Natalie, Leo and Billy are there. Nina puts the Book Of Shadows on a table.]

Nikki: So what does he want?

Nina: Well, it doesn't matter, right? Let's just get rid of him.

Billy: I don't mean to interrupt but is there a point in this scene where someone explains this part to me?

Nikki: Natalie, you brought this fictitious character back for a play date, you tell him.

Natalie: You're right, we should of left him at the movie theatre, he would've really blended in there. Um, Billy, this isn't a movie. Uh, this is reality as in we're all real and you... I haven't quite 

figured that part out yet.

Billy: But you...

Leo: They're the good guys.

Nina: Right, okay, um, we know that the demon can go from the real world to the world of Illusion and now he can bring a buddy along for the ride. The question is what does he want?

Nikki: Leo, they told you that his goal was to create violence in society.

Leo: Yeah, but they left out the how part.

Billy: He goes into movies. That's where he does it.

Nina: Does what?

Billy: First he... Where's the music?

Natalie: Music? What music?

Billy: This is around the second act, right? When everything's about to be explained. Where's the music we're supposed to talk over, to build suspense and hide the exposition? Don't you just hate exposition?

Natalie: Don't even get me started.

Nina: Alright, you said that he does something in the movie. Like, what, to the story?

Billy: No, to the audience. When they leave they're different, angry.

Nikki: So that's his shtick? He casts a spell in the movies?

Leo: Must be how this demon spreads his particular brand of violence.

Natalie: Wait, that's why he looked so familiar. He wasn't at the movie, he was in the movie.

Nikki: So if he can use Billy's movie, then he can use other movies.

Leo: If he's gonna spread violence, he's gonna pray on people that are already open to it.

Nina: Alright, so he'll be in horror movies. I'll grab a paper, head out to the theatres that are playing those.

Nikki: Okay, Leo and I will go with you.

Nina: Uh, Natalie, maybe you should do something with Billy. You know, add a little techni-colour to him.

[Cut to the foyer. Leo, Nikki and Nina are walking down the stairs. Nina's cell phone rings. She answers it.]

Nina: Hello?

Finley: Miss Halliwell.

Nina: Mr. Beck. (They walk towards the door.) Uh, how did you...

Finley: I realized I have photo approval.

(Nikki puts on her coat.)

Nina: Yes, I'm totally aware that you have photo approval.

Finley: I want to see you.

Nina: Now?

Finley: Yes.

Nina: Well, no, see actually I'm not at home right now. (Nikki helps Nina puts her coat on.) So maybe we can meet at the magazine later.

Finley: That won't work for me.

Nina: Later's not good for you?

Finley: No.

Nina: Well, when would be good for you?

Finley: (from outside) Now. (They all stand still.) Little late don't you think? I can see you moving. 

(Nina hangs up and opens the door.) Dark room would be where?

(He walks in.)

Nikki: So that's Finley?

Nina: My hero. Well, I guess the plans has sort of changed.

Nikki: Alright, we'll call you later.

(Nikki and Leo leave.)

Finley: (from another room) Don't mind me. I'm just wandering through your house.

[Scene: Movie theatre. "Axe Husband" is playing. The axe murderer finishes murdering someone and the demon comes on the screen.]

Demon: How would you like to do that for real? I can get you out of here. Take you to a place where the movie never ends. (The audience start talking and wonders what's going on.) Simmer down. (Dust comes out of his hand and floats over the audience.) I'll get back to you in a moment. (to the axe murderer) So, interested? (He nods.) Uh, as with most things, there is one catch. I get to pick three victims. They're choice little morsels and I think you'll find them quite powerless against your charms. Feel free to kill anyone you like on the way. Just get me those girls. (The axe murderer walks out of the screen.) Now, ladies and gentlemen. Let's make your PG lives rated R. Who needs violence when you can make it yourself.

(The audience start fighting and yelling at each other.)

[Cut to downstairs of the manor in the dark room. Nina and Finley are developing the photos.]

Nina: Um, you know, maybe you'd like to take those home. Relax, ponder, choose which one you'd like.

Finley: Maybe you'd like to be quiet while I see if I can save these things.

Natalie: (from upstairs) Nina, is it okay to come down?

Nina: Not really a good time.

Natalie: Okay, well I really need to _demon_-strate something for you.

Nina: Okay, what is it?

(Natalie pokes her head around the curtain.)

Natalie: Uh, once you finish your thing and I finish my thing, then we really need to go meet Nikki and Leo to fix the thing that we saw at the...

Nina: Thing.

Natalie: Exactly... I love you. I'll be back upstairs.

Nina: Okay. (Natalie leaves. Nina notices Finley looking at her.) Sisters.

Finley: Here. Print this one again. You need to flag a gradual fade on the wall behind the me and burn in the key under my chin. Would you like me to hold your hand this time? (Nina turns on the light. She puts a photo under a magnifying glass.) I figured out what's wrong with your photos, Miss Franco. Absolutely no depth.

Nina: Really? Now would that be the technique or the subject?

Finley: Excuse me?

Nina: I wish I could. Your work meant more to me then you will ever know and because of that, I 

have carried around this illusion of what it would mean to me to meet you and to learn from you and how that would make me appreciate your work even more, but now it is so hard for me to even look at your pictures because I think of the man who took them. And it is devastating to me to realise that the brilliance of your eye is completely destroyed by the ignorance of your mouth.

(The photo under the magnifying glass catches on fire.)

Finley: See that's the thing about art, Miss Franco. If you leave your subject under the light too long, it burns.

(Finley leaves and starts to walk up the stairs. Nina grabs her camera.)

Nina: Mr. Beck. (He turns his head and she takes a photo.) Thank you.

Finley: You're welcome.

[Scene: Movie theatre. The movie with Bloody Mary in it is playing. Nikki and Leo walk in.]

(The demon appears on the screen and dust comes out of his hands and floats onto the audience.)

Nikki: Okay, well, I'm okay, you're okay. Magic perk.

Demon: Didn't you hear the management? Please refrain from talking. Oh, well, I guess I'll have to kill you. Better yet. Mary, oh Bloody Mary. (Mary walks on the screen.) There's one of the girls that's been getting in my way. Don't stab her all in one place.

(Bloody Mary come out of the screen and heads for Nikki and Leo. Nikki tries freezing her.)

Nikki: Okay, uh, that didn't work but my legs still do. Okay let's go.

[Cut to the dark room. Nina's putting things away.]

Nina: I'll be right there, Nats. (The axe murderer chops down the curtain and then aims for Nina. She screams and ducks. She tries to use her power on him and starts to run up the stairs. He trips her and he raises his axe. Nina stands back up and he chops the stair. Nina kicks him in the face and runs out of the basement.) Natalie! (She runs up the stairs.)

[Cut to the attic. Natalie and Billy are making out. Nina runs in.]

Natalie: Hello, privacy.

Nina: Hello, axe murderer. (Nina uses her power and moves a table in front of the door. The axe murderer chops his way through the door. Natalie and Nina stand behind Billy. Then they run towards the back of the room and Nina moves a dresser in front of them with her power. The axe murderer continues to chop things with his axe. He rips off a dress that was hanging on a stand with his axe.) Oh, that was an antique, you assho- (Billy covers her mouth.)

Natalie: He's very sensitive about the language.

[Cut to the foyer. Nikki runs in and locks the door.]

Nikki: (She wanders through the house while saying this.) (Panicking) Okay, dead woman with a knife on her way. Leo stayed behind to calm down the… Where is everybody?

(She hears screams from upstairs and runs up the stairs.)

[Cut back to the attic. The axe murderer is still chopping through things. Nina grabs a chair and holds it up but the axe murderer chops it. Then all of sudden he stops and falls to the floor. You see a piece of wood sticking in his back and Nikki standing there.]

Natalie: Pretty sneaky, sis.

(Nina goes over to Nikki.)

Nina: Natalie, does this guy look familiar to you?

Natalie: Uh, yeah, kinda.

Nikki: When Leo and I tracked down the demon, he sent some white pasty hag literally off the screen to kill us. I think he called her Bloody Mary.

Natalie: Wait a minute, this Paul Bunyin with a labotomy, he's from "Axe Husband", I saw that last week.

Nina: We so have to monitor your viewing habits.

(The axe murderer moves and they all scream and run down the stairs.)

Nikki: We can't kill them, they're not real, they're fiction.

Nina: We can't kill something that doesn't exist.

(Bloody Mary appears from around the corner and they all scream. Billy grabs her and she stabs him.)

Natalie: Billy!

Billy: I have something in common with the bad guys. Run!

(Bloody Mary pulls the knife out. Everyone runs in different directions.)

[Cut to the bathroom. Nikki runs in and shuts the door. She looks around for a place to hide. She gets in the shower and pulls the shower curtain across.]

Nikki: I am being stalked by psycho killers and I hide in the shower. (Nikki's cell phone rings) Damn shut up! (She answers it and talks in a hushed voice.) Hello?

Kay: Nikki? Where are you? You didn't show up today and we were worried.

Tasha: Don't tell me. It was another family emergency.

Nikki: Kind of.(She hears the door open and she stands still. Then very very quietly) hold on. (Then she hears footsteps getting closer and closer to the shower. She crouches down and you see a shadow through the shower curtain and an arm reaches up and pulls the shower curtain across. Nikki screams. It's Nina and she screams too. They calm down and Nikki gets out of the shower.)

Nina: Okay, okay, oh, oh, at least they're not in the bathroom with us, that's-that's kinda good.

(The door opens and Bloody Mary walks in.)

Bloody Mary: Pretty little girls.

(They scream again and run out the other door. They run around the corner and run into Natalie and Billy. They all scream. They calm down.)

Nikki: (Breathing heavily and panics realizing VIP could hear everything, she puts the phone to her ear.) Uhm..This really isn't a good time.

Johnny: Nikki are you alright?

Natalie: I think I figured out how to kill these guys. (You see the axe murderer's shadow coming around the corner. The girls scream again. He walks around the corner and Billy pounces on him.) Billy!

Billy: He can't hurt me. You run. I'll see if I can hold this one off.

Nikki: (Into the phone)I gotta go! I'll call you later. (She hangs up)

[Cut to VIP.]

Kay: Oh my god. I don't think I've ever heard Nikki scream that way…

Val: What if there's an axe murderer at their place!

Quick: I don't think so. Nikki would have said something, and we've dealt with a lot…

Johnny: (Already at the door) I'm not waiting around here to find out what's going on.

Tasha: I'm coming too. (The rest of the group nods. Kay is hesitant though, wondering if Nikki is dealing with a demon)

[Cut back to Nikki, Natalie, and Nina in the attic.]

Natalie: Okay, okay, so Billy said that the only thing he knows is what's written for him in those movies, so maybe this is the only way the psycho's know how to die is how they were killed on screen.

Nina: Well, how am I supposed to know that? I'm a romantic-comedy girl. Why go to the horror movies when they come to us?

Nikki: Alright, that leaves you, Nats.

(Bloody Mary enters the attic.)

Bloody Mary: Miss me?

Natalie: Okay, that's Bloody Mary and she was, uh, thrown out of a window. And that axe guy, he was, uh, he was, he was electrocuted. So go tell Billy and...

Nina: And see if he can stick his finger in a socket, sure.

(Nina walks around Bloody Mary and leaves the attic. Bloody Mary walks towards Natalie and Nikki.)

Natalie: Okay, get her, get her.

Nikki: We have got to do something about that complexion.

(Nikki grabs her and flips her over her head. Nikki then holds onto a beam above her and kicks Bloody Mary and she crashes through the window. Nikki and Natalie look outside and she disappears.)

Nikki: One down and one to go.

(Suddenly, Nina comes flying through the doorway and lands on the ground.)

Natalie: Nina.

Nina: He wasn't real receptive to the plan.

(She stands up.)

Nikki: Does anybody else get tired of cleaning up after these guys? (The axe murderer walks in. Nikki sees a bucket of water and pulls it close to her. Nina then sees a heater on. Billy comes in.)

Billy: It's okay, (he rolls up his sleeves) the man is here to save the day. (He holds his fists up.)

Nina: Billy, it's the 21st century, it's the woman's job to save the day.

(Nina uses her power and the heater flies up over to the axe murderer catches it. Natalie throws the bucket of water on him and electrocutes him. He disappears.)

Nikki: It's over.

Natalie: Don't ever say that. Every time someone says that in the movies, something always...

(The doorbell rings.)

[Cut to downstairs. They all cautiously walk through the foyer up to the door. Nikki slowly reaches out to grab the door knob.]

(Nikki opens the door.Johnny, Tasha, Val, Quick and Kay are there. Tasha is holding the knife that Bloody Mary had. Nina, Nikki, and Natale scream.)

Val: (starts to scream too then stops) Wait what are we screaming at?

Nikki: (Pointing to Tasha's knife) Why do have that and where di it come from?

Tasha: It was outside your house with what looks like your attic window. What's going on?

Natalie: (taking the knife) This was Bloody Mary's knife…

Nikki: But why is it still here? That doesn't make sense…I mean the axe's guy's axe is gone…

Val: So there WAS an axe murderer here!

Nikki: Something like that.

Johnny: Bloody Mary? Are you guys OK? What's going on?

Nikki: We're fine. We just had to deal with some psycho killers. They're gone now. You can go. Bye.

Quick: Wait a minute…psycho killers?

Nina: Your not going away are you?

Kay: Sure we are. Nikki can explain stuff to us tomarrow.

Johnny: No..I want to know now.

Natalie: Isn't that sweet.

Nikki: Natalie…I'm warning you…

Billy: Who are these people?

Natalie: Friends. (She pulls them inside) If you refuse to leave then come inside before somebody hacks you up.

Nina: Natalie! Don't say things like that! We're creeped enough as it is.

Nikki: Go wait in the living room. Help yourself to whatever food is in the kitchen. Ignore any broken pieces of furniture. We'll be in the attic. (She and Nina pull Nat and Billy upstairs.)

[Cut to the attic.]

Nikki: We have to find this guy before it gets any worse.

Nina: Yeah, only we don't know where he is.

Billy: I know where he's gonna be tonight.

Natalie: Don't ya just love it when he does that?

Billy: The demon didn't just show up at my movie today. He's been there before. Every time we 

leave for a new city, he goes there too.

Nikki: You mean he's traveling in print?

Natalie: And tonight's the last night in this city. That's where he's gonna be.

Nina: Right, so the midnight show will be his final performance. We can't kill him in our world so we'll have to do it in his.

Nikki: You mean, go into the movie? Can we even right a spell for that?

Natalie: I could probably whip up a potion or something.

Nikki: Well, how about two. One to make sure we can get in and one to make sure we can get out.

Nina: Natalie's pharmaceuticals.

Natalie: (to Billy) That means I'm gonna have to leave you there.

Billy: So, you'll always know where to find me.

Nina: So let's go to the movies.

[Cut back downstairs.]

Val: I told you it was an axe murderer.

Johnny: That's not very comforting. Can you not say that?

Val: Oh, sorry.

Tasha: How can they just brush it off so easily?

(The foursome comes down the stairs and Natalie goes into the kitchen.)

Nikki: We have to go out. We'll be back in an hour or two. Hopefully in one piece. And maybe even with an explanation. 

Johnny: But..

[Scene: Movie theatre. Nina, Nikki, Natalie and Billy walk in. Sally Mae's on the screen. The same guy as before is asleep in the front row.]

Sally Mae: Billy, you're back. Just in time. Well, this is the part where we're supposed to be... You brought company. Oh, Billy, how could you? We were going steady. And you... you pinned me.

Billy: That's because the writers told me to, Sally Mae. I mean, you're a nice girl and all but... (he looks at Natalie) Anyway, these people, they're here to help us.

Nikki: Natalie, do you have the potion?

Natalie: Mmm hmm.

(She hands them little jars of green potion.)

Nina: Oh, couldn't you at least of made it look like it tasted good?

(Billy and Natalie take the lids off the jars and clink them together. They drink it and throw the jars behind them. Billy walks in the movie and holds out his hand for Natalie. Natalie walks in the movie and looks at herself. She laughs.)

Natalie: Check me out. I'm retro.

(Nikki drinks her potion.)

Nikki: Ugh, it tastes like an ass... (Billy gives her a look.) phalt.

(Nikki goes in the movie. The demon walks on the screen.)

Demon: And now for the final climax.

(The guy in the seat wakes up and pushes Nina on the floor. He goes to jump on her but she kicks him in the stomach.)

Nikki: He's under a spell.

Nina: Nikki, behind you. (Nikki turns around and punches the demon in the face.) Deep down I know that you're an innocent so I can't really kill you but I can... (Nina uses her power and throws him across the room.) Sleep tight, film boy.

Demon: You're outta your league. In fact, you're outta your world. Didn't anybody ever tell you what happens once the movie ends if you're still in it? No? Well, I'd love to explain it to you but we're out of time.

Nikki: Nina?

Nina: Nikki, Natalie, get out of there quick.

(Natalie and Nikki run towards the screen but smack straight into it.)

Nikki: Oh!

Natalie: Ouch.

(The movie starts getting dark.)

Nikki: Nina, why is it getting dark? Nina, what's going on?

("The End" shows up on the screen.)

Nina: Where are you? What can I do? (Nina astral projects in the projector room. The projectionist is asleep in his chair. She walks over to the projector.) Where the hell is reverse?

(She pushes a button on the wall and the movie rewinds.)

Natalie: Nina?

(Nina astral projects back in her body.)

Nina: Are you guys okay?

Natalie: Yeah.

Nikki: Yeah.

Nina: Get outta there quick.

(Natalie and Nikki drink the other potion and walk out of the screen. They hug Nina.)

Demon: That's right. Run away you little witches. These are the mighty Charmed Ones. Ooh, why don't we run in fear.

Nikki: Nina, I don't know what else we can do.

Demon: And you're supposed to be the perky one. You should really try not to be so negative. 

How does it feel to finally know someone you can't defeat?

Nina: I don't know, you tell me. (Nina uses her power and turns to picture head monitor off.) You know, if you leave a subject under the light for too long it burns.

(The film starts melting.)

Demon: No!

(The film melts.)

[Scene: Later on in the projector room.]

Projectionist: Thanks for waking me up to warn me about the film burning. I could've lost my job.

Nikki: (to Nina) I guess you learnt something from Finley after all.

Nina: Yeah, I guess he did come in handy. You can love the work but not the man.

Nikki: What if you love them both?

[Cut to Natalie. She's talking to Billy. Billy's in the screen.]

Natalie: I guess it's only fair. I got my first glimpse of romance from watching you on the big screen. Other girls deserve that same view. Thank you for restoring my faith in the male species.

Billy: Now all you have to do is hold our for one that's three dimensional. (Billy holds his hand up against the screen. Natalie does the same. They start walking away and then look back at each other. They walk away.)

[Back at the manor.]

Natalie: You know we're really tired, so can Nikki talk to you guys tomarrow, so we can go to sleep and stuff.

Johnny: Just tell us what happened?

Nikki: Just a random looney off the street. We took care of him. We were just freaked out cause we had been watching some horror movies before hand. But we had to get Billy home. His mother is really bitchy. Even at his age.

Tasha: But..

Nikki: That's what happened.

Kay: I believe you Nikki.

Nikki: Thanks Kay. Look I'll see you guys tomarrow. (The group protests but leave anyways.) I'm going to bed. And if I have nightmares, some one's gonna die.

Nina: Don't say that…


	9. From Fear To Eternity

**__**

Charmed 9

[Scene: Occult shop. Nikki and Natalie are there.]

Tanjella: Excuse me, but I'm getting ready to close now.

Nikki: Oh, I'm sorry. I thought that you were open until 1:00.

Tanjella: Normally I am, but not on the evil Friday the 13th. In fact, I kinda wanna be closed by midnight.

Nikki: Alright, well, we won't be much longer will we, Nats?

****

Natalie: Okay, okay. So, input? 

(She holds up a necklace.)

****

Nikki: Nice. Let's go. 

****

Natalie: It's nice? That's it? Maybe I should look for another one. 

****

Nikki: Natalie, the woman wants to close. 

****

Natalie: I know, I know, but choosing the right good luck charm is a very big decision. 

****

Nikki: If they all bring good luck, what's the worse that can happen if you pick the wrong one? 

****

Natalie: Alright, you know, this is why I like shopping with Nina.

(They walk up to the counter and hands the necklace to Tanjella.)

****

Tanjella: Okay, you want me to put this on Nina's order?

****

Natalie: Uh, no, I'll pay separately.

****

Tanjella: Cash or charge?

****

Natalie: (to Nikki) Uh, will you put it on a credit card for me? I will pay you back. And tomorrow I have a job interview and...

****

Nikki: And the good luck charm is going to help you get the job. How much?

****

Tanjella: $25.50 plus tax.

****

Nikki: Okay.

****

Tanjella: Oh, but you get 10% off if you sign the mailing list.

****

Natalie: See? Good luck already.

(Natalie writes down their names.)

****

Tanjella: If you're interested, we're having a Wicca gathering for the spring equinox.

****

Nikki: What makes you think that we would be interested?

****

Tanjella: Most witches are.

****

Nikki: We never said that we were witches.

****

Natalie: (to Nikki under her breath) Do you think she knows?

****

Nikki: (under her breath) How could she?

(The clock strikes twelve.)

****

Tanjella: Could you please hurry?

****

Natalie: Is there a problem?

****

Tanjella: I told you I just, I want to be closed by midnight.

****

Nikki: Wow, you really take this Friday the 13th stuff seriously.

****

Tanjella: Yeah, you should too. Especially this one.

****

Natalie: And why is that?

****

Tanjella: Because once every thirteen hundred years, there's a universal convergence of negative energy on Friday the 13th and this is the year.

****

Nikki: Of course it is.

****

Tanjella: Did you hear that? The clock struck thirteen. It's starting already.

****

Natalie: Good night, Tanjella.

(They grab the necklace and leave.)

[Cut to outside. Nikki and Natalie get in the car and drive off. Smoke rises out of the sewer and 

Barbas appears.]

[Cut back inside. Tanjella is blowing out the candles. She turns off the light. Barbas knocks on the 

door.]

****

Tanjella: Sorry, we're closed. (Barbas knocks on the door again.) I said we're closed.

(Barbas walks through the door like a ghost.)

****

Barbas: Not to me, witch.

****

Tanjella: Oh my God.

(Tanjella picks up an amulet.)

****

Barbas: Amulet's don't work with this demon. (He passes his hand in front of her face.) Your greatest fear is being buried alive in an earthquake. (The room starts shaking and things fall off the shelves. Tanjella screams. Shelves fall down around her.) Yes. You can't run, you're frozen in fear.

(Tanjella stops screaming and she falls on the floor. She is dead and her hair has turned white. Barbas walks over to the mailing list. He passes his hand above it and half of the names disappear.)

[Scene: Manor. Nina walks in the solarium holding a small box. She pulls out some necklaces and looks at them. She chooses one.]

[Time lapse. Nina and Natalie walk out of the kitchen into the solarium.]

[Scene: Manor. Nina walks in the solarium holding a small box. She pulls out some necklaces and looks at them. She chooses one.]

[Time lapse. Nina and Natalie walk out of the kitchen into the solarium.]

Natalie: Think about it. When has she ever said it to you?

Nina: I don't remember exactly but I'm sure she must of.

Natalie: Yeah, okay, try to think of a time, just one. Whenever I say it to her, she says something like, 'oh me too' or 'same here'.

****

Nina: You know, you're right. 

****

Natalie: Yeah. The girl cannot say the words 'I love you'. It's like some weird... 

(Nikki walks in.)

****

Nikki: Morning.

****

Natalie: Oh, good morning. 

(Nikki and Natalie sit down.)

****

Nikki: Oh, that outfit looks great on you. 

****

Natalie: Thank you for giving it to me. 

****

Nina: Wait, you gave her that outfit? 

****

Nikki: Yeah, it was an early birthday present. 

****

Natalie: For the next three years. 

****

Nina: I didn't even know you owned a buisness outfit like that.

****

Nikki: Grams gave it to me. Said it was mums. Though I never used it. So I gave it to Nats.

****

Nina: Are you feeling okay? 

(She touches Nikki's forehead.)

****

Nikki: I am fine. In fact, I had a wonderful dream about mum.

****

Nina: Oh, how great. What about?

****

Nikki: Um, I was a little kid like four or five and I was reaching up holding her hand and she was taking me some place. I don't know where but it felt so safe.

****

Natalie: I wish I had dreams like that. 

****

Nina: Mum would have to knock before she came into your dreams. 

****

Natalie: Ooh!

(Nikki yawns and Nina covers her mouth.)

****

Nikki: What are you doing? 

****

Nina: You have to cover your mouth when you yawn or you might let the Devil in. (Natalie and Nikki laugh.) Especially on Friday the 13th. 

****

Nikki: Is that amulet one of the things we picked up for you last night?

****

Nina: Yes. And this (she holds up a stone) and these. (She holds up the other necklaces.) They're doing a superstition themed fund raiser at FOAM and I thought I'd help out. And I'll need all the luck I can get.

****

Nikki: Don't you think that you're over doing it just a little bit?

****

Nina: With all the warlocks and demons we've seen. I don't think so.

****

Nikki: Nina, those things are real. Okay, superstitions are like old wives tales invented to explain somebody's misfortune. 

****

Nina: Statistics show more bad things happen on Friday the 13th than any other day. Nikki met Jeremy on Friday the 13th. 

****

Natalie: Really? 

****

Nina: Yeah, and he tried to kill us. 

****

Nikki: More bad things happen on Friday the 13th because people put energy in believing bad things will happen.

****

Nina: Nats.

****

Natalie: Actually, I prefer the upside of superstition. Good fortune, which is what I hope this (she holds up a coin) little honey brings me in my job interview with the real estate agency. Will you give me a lift? I'm running late.

****

Nina: Okay. (They start heading towards the doorway.)

****

Natalie: Okay, well, have a great day, Nikki. I love you.

****

Nikki: Yeah, me too.

(Natalie and Nina stop and look back at her. They look at each other and continue walking.)

[Scene: VIP. Val, Kay, Nikki, Tasha, Johnny, and Quick are there. Relic comes in.]

****

Relic: Hey, Nikki can I talk to you?

****

Nikki: Uh, sure what about?

****

Relic: I'm helping some friends out with a really weird case. We've had three suspicious deaths since midnight. All single females, all under thirty, one was a book store owner. Credit card company records show you were her last customer.

****

Nikki: Oh my God.

****

Relic: You remember anything out of the ordinary? Suspicious characters hanging around?

****

Nikki: No, Natalie and I were the only ones in there. In fact, she was locking up when we left.

****

Relic: Was the place in order?

****

Nikki: Yeah, why?

****

Relic: When we found her, her body was half buried in debris. But the coroner said it wasn't her injuries that killed her, it was a heart attack.

****

Nikki: A heart attack?

****

Relic: Yeah, her hair had turned chalk white, her face was contorted in terror just like all the others. If I didn't know any better, I'd say literally scared to death. Do you visit occult book stores at midnight often?

****

Nikki: No, of course not. Natalie needed a good luck charm for her job interview today. It was very last minute.

****

Relic: His killings look like some weird ritualistic thing. The victims all had ties with the occult. You might consider shopping somewhere else.

****

Nikki: Meaning?

****

Relic: Just be careful. (He leaves)

****

Val: Wow…

****

Nikki: (Standing up) I have to go. I'll call you guys later.

[Scene: Later on in the attic. Nikki opens the Book Of Shadows.]

****

Nikki: Friday the 13th. Friday the 13th. (She finds a page.) "The Demon of Fear appears once every thirteen hundred years on Friday the 13th. He feeds on the fears of young witches for his survival." Mum's handwriting. 

[Scene: FOAM. Nina's standing there staring at Lucas. Nikki stands behind her.]

Nikki: Who's the guy?

(Nina turns to face Nikki.)

Nina: Lucas Devane. He's chairing the fundraiser for the children's hospital.

Nikki: Oh, right, I saw his picture in the magazine. Wasn't he named the Bay Area's most eligible bachelor?

Nina: Don't rub it in.

Nikki: Hey, you're the one who's letting a silly superstition run her life.

Nina: Is he still looking over here?

Nikki: Yeah. He's undressing you with his mind. (They start walking.) And he's down to white cotton.

Nina: I haven't worn white cotton since high school. (They approach a ladder.) Whoa! (They walk around it.) Sorry, I had to rush off the phone. What's with the demon of fear?

Nikki: Well, I found a page about him in the Book Of Shadows in mum's handwriting.

Nina: Mum's, are you sure?

Nikki: Yeah, I'm sure. I checked it against the handwriting on the back of the spirit board.

(They sit down at the bar.)

Nina: Wow, this is the first time we've found anything mum's written in the book.

****

Nikki: Well, she must have known that this demon would appear in our lifetime and she wanted to warn us against him. 

****

Nina: I don't like the sound of that. 

****

Nikki: Well, if he can kill thirteen unmarried witches by midnight, he'll be free from the underworld to wreck his terror every single day. 

****

Nina: Unmarried. Like being single doesn't have enough problems. So how can we stop him?

****

Nikki: I don't know but he does kill by turning a witch's greatest fear against her.

****

Nina: Meaning?

****

Nikki: The book doesn't say. But mum wrote that in the face of our greatest fear, our powers are paralised.

****

Nina: Wait a minute, we're on the most wanted list and we're defenseless? Didn't mum say anything about how to get rid of him?

****

Nikki: Just to release our fear.

****

Nina: How do we do that?

Nikki: I don't know. That's all she wrote. Look, I know that you're afraid of flying.

Nina: That's not really a fear, I just prefer buses.

Nikki: Well, as long as you stay in a crowded restaurant you'll be fine. And since Natalie's afraid of being trapped in an elevator, I'll tell her to take the stairs.

Nina: And you'll stay away from pools. Ever since mum died you've been terrified of the water. That's why you never took swimming lessons. We've always known that was the reason, it's okay.

Nikki: Yeah, well, don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I've gotta go.

Nina: Call me when you get to Bucklands.

Nikki: I'm not going to Bucklands. Mum warned us but there are others.

Nina: We don't know any other witches.

Nikki: No, see, Tanjella gave me this flier for a wicca gathering and there's a woman named Zoe listed as a contact, I'm hoping that she can help. So just call Nats and let her know what's up, okay.

Nina: Okay. (Nikki starts to walk away.) I love you.

Nikki: Yep.

(Nikki walks under the ladder.)

[Scene: Zoe's apartment. Barbas appears.]

Zoe: I thought you might come. But I have nothing for you here.

Barbas: Oh, you couldn't be more wrong, witch. You're all alone, that's all I need.

Zoe: You have no power over me. I have evolved powers to release all mortal fears. My inner strength will destroy you. (Barbas passes his hand across her face. Barbas makes the flame from a candle fall on the carpet. She tries to stamp it out with her foot.)

Barbas: You didn't release your fear of fire, you only repressed it.

(The fire spreads and flames surround her.)

Zoe: No, please.

Barbas: Save it for another life time. You're frozen in fear.

[Cut to outside. Nikki knocks on the door.]

Nikki: Hello? (Zoe screams and Nikki kicks down the door. She walks inside and sees Zoe dead on the floor with white hair.)

[Time Lapse: Zoe's apartment. Police and photographer's are there. Relic walks up to Morris.]

Relic: Sorry I'm late. So what do we have?

Morris: The coroner said there are no burn marks on the body. She didn't die of smoke 

inhalation, her heart gave up just like the others. 

Relic: This is the fifth woman with ties of the occult that's been found dead since midnight. Now tell me it's not the work of some serial nutcase.

Morris: I can't but it still doesn't mean those shoes aren't embarrassing.

Cop: (to Morris) Inspector, would you have a look at this?

(Morris goes to talk to the cop. Relic looks under the sheet that's covering the body. Morris comes back.)

Morris: Doorman, he says there was a signing log. Wanna guess who the last person was to see the victim?

Relic: I'm gonna guess the killer.

Morris: Nikki.

Relic: Why does her name always seem to pop up on the weird cases.

[Scene: FOAM. Nikki, Natalie and Nina are sitting at a table.]

Nina: What did you tell Relic?

Nikki: I didn't talk to Relic. I didn't want him to know I was anywhere near there so I called 911 and I left.

Natalie: Are you sure you're okay?

Nikki: Yeah, it's just, uh, I can't get her face out of my mind, you know. There was so much fear and her hair was pure white, the terror that she must of felt. It's just...

Natalie: Okay, I'm scared enough, thank you. So now what?

Nina: We avoid any place he can use to terrorise us.

Natalie: And what about all the other witches?

Nikki: Well, I took Zoe's day runner. Some of the names in there have got to be witches. I'll start making phone calls.

(Nikki reaches for the salt and knocks the jar over spilling some salt.)

Nina: Oh, oh, quick. Throw some over your shoulder.

****

Nikki: Don't be ridiculous. 

****

Nina: It's bad luck. You could be attacked by evil spirits. 

****

Nikki: Nina, we have been attacked by plenty of evil spirits and they had nothing to do with salt. 

And considering our powers, I can't believe that you want to rely on this for our protection. 

****

Nina: My feeling is, you can never be too rich or too safe.

(Natalie sees a ladybug on the plant on the table.)

****

Natalie: Oh, look, a ladybug.

****

Nikki: Is that bad luck?

(Nina pulls a face.)

****

Natalie: No, actually Grams once told me that whatever direction it flies in, you can find your ideal mate. We've gotta try it.

(Natalie flicks the ladybug and it flies across the room and lands on Lucas.)

****

Nina: Oh.

****

Nikki: So does a positive superstition cancel out a negative one?

****

Nina: I don't know.

****

Natalie: Wait, what's going on?

****

Nikki: That guy has been trying to talk to Nina all day and she has been avoiding him because she...

(A waiter trips and spills drinks all over Nikki. Natalie and Nina wipe her with napkins.)

****

Nina: You should've thrown the...

****

Nikki: You know what? Nina, don't even say it. I'm going home to change.

****

Natalie: Be careful, I love you.

****

Nikki: Yeah.

(She leaves.)

****

Nina: Okay, she can't say it. Maybe she's afraid it'll make her look too vulnerable. 

****

Natalie: Maybe. Hey, I gotta get back to work.

****

Nina: How's the new job?

****

Natalie: Great, except my new boss wants me to lie to her husband about an affair that she's been having.

****

Nina: Oh, how nice. What are you gonna do?

****

Natalie: I don't know. I'm just hoping it never comes up. Hey good luck.

(Natalie leaves and Lucas walks up to Nina.)

****

Lucas: How's it going?

****

Nina: Oh, good.

****

Lucas: Listen, um, we've been working so well together on the fundraiser, I was, uh, wondering if you want to get dinner after it's over.

****

Nina: Uh, I should probably... I should probably check my schedule.

****

Lucas: You, uh, don't know if you're free tonight?

****

Nina: Well, um... (she notices the ladybug on his shoulder) dinner would be great.

****

Lucas: Great.

[Scene: VIP. Kay, Val, Tasha, Johnny, and Quick are there. Relic and Morris enter.]

****

Relic: Do you know where Nikki is?

****

Johnny: She went home, why?

****

Morris: There was another murder. Guess who was the last person to see the victim.

****

Quick: Nikki.

****

Tasha: Wait. You suspect her?

****

Relic: Not really. But from what I've seen her name seems to show up a lot in the unsolved ones.

****

Morris: Don't forget to mention the creepy aspect of these cases.

****

Relic: That too. I guess we go to Nikki's place to see what she knows.

****

Johnny: I'll come with you.

[Scene: SWA Properties. Natalie's sitting at a desk holding a coin.]

****

Natalie: Okay, heads - I tell him the truth, tails - I lie. (She flicks the coin in the air and it lands on its edge.) Oh, that helped a lot. (She picks the coin up. The phone rings. She reaches for it and knocks over a bottle of water.) Oh! Hold on please. (She picks up the bottle and has a premonition that water has filled up in the shower and Nikki's stuck inside.) Nikki. (in the phone) Uh, no one's in, call back later. (She hangs up and then dials another number.)

[Cut to the bathroom in the manor. Nikki gets in and turns on the water. The phone rings and the answering machine picks it up.]

****

Natalie's voice: Nikki, it's Natalie. Are you there? Pick up. Hello? Nikki, I just had a premonition, you could be in trouble. Are you there? Nikki, are you there?

[Cut to where the answering machine is. Barbas appears and passes his hand in front of it and the message disappears.]

[Cut back in the bathroom. Barbas appears. He passes his hand in front of the shower. Nikki notices Barbas standing there.]

****

Barbas: Your greatest fear is drowning. Thank you for making it so easy. (The shower starts filling up quickly.) That's right. (Nikki starts panicking and hitting on the glass. The water rises up near her neck. She turns off the water. She tries to use her power but it doesn't work.) You powers are frozen by your fear. (The water continues to rise over her head.)

[Cut to outside the manor. Relic, Johnny and Morris are walking up to the door.]

****

Relic: I wish I could think of a logical reason to explain why Nikki's involved in this.

****

Morris: You mean this time or every other time?

****

Johnny: I wish I could think of a logical reason why she does anything anymore.

(They ring the door bell. They hear Nikki scream. Morris gets out his gun and Relic kicks open the door. They run inside.)

****

Relic: Nikki?

[Cut to the bathroom. Barbas disappears. The door flies open and Morris and Relic run in pointing their guns. The water has disappeared.]

****

Johnny: Nikki? You okay?

****

Nikki: I don't know.

(Morris and Relic walks outside.)

****

Johnny: I'll wait for you downstairs.

(Nikki grabs a towel and wraps it around her. She opens the door and water that was sitting in the bottom of the shower runs out onto the floor.)

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Relic, Nikki, Johnny and Morris are there. Nikki's wearing a dressing gown and has a towel wrapped around her head.]

Nikki: I told you I had soap in my eyes.

Relic: You had soap in your eyes? That's why you were screaming?

Nikki: Yes.

Morris: You wanna tell us what you were doing at that woman's apartment?

Nikki: I was, um, Zoe was a collector of occult items and Natalie was looking for a specific item and I was going to see if she may have had it.

Morris: When you got there was she alive or already dead?

Nikki: Dead.

Relic: So you called 911? Why didn't you leave your name? Why did you just duck out?

Nikki: Because I wanted to avoid this. I knew that you'd suspect me of being involved and I'm not.

Relic: Nikki, don't you think it's a little coincidental you being one step ahead of death twice in one day?

****

Nikki: What exactly are you implying? 

****

Relic: Nikki, if you were in my shoes, what would you think? 

(She looks at his sneakers.)

****

Nikki: First of all, nobody should be in those shoes. 

****

Morris: Told you.

****

Nikki: But if I were, I would never think that you had anything to do with these deaths.

****

Relic: Nikki, five women your age have been scared to death since midnight and we show up, we hear you screaming, we break in, find you terrified in the shower.

****

Nikki: I told you, I had soap in my eyes.

****

Johnny: That wasn't pain on your face, that was fear.

(You hear the front door open.)

****

Natalie: Nikki? (She runs in the living room.) Hi.

****

Relic, Johnny, Morris: Hi.

****

Natalie: Is everything okay?

****

Nikki: Yeah, everything's fine. So, are we done?

****

Morris: Yeah, we're done.

(Relic and Morris leave.)

****

Nikki: You will not believe what happened to me.

****

Natalie: Yes, I would, I saw it. (Nikki takes the towel off her head and she has a streak of white hair.) Nikki, he came really close didn't he? You've got some white in you hair.

(Nikki looks in the mirror.)

[Time lapse. Nikki and Natalie walk in the attic.]

****

Natalie: There's gotta be something in the Book about releasing fears. Maybe it's just not obvious.

(She walks over to the Book Of Shadows.)

****

Nikki: Natalie, do you smell that?

****

Natalie: What?

****

Nikki: It's like Sandalwood.

****

Natalie: No, I don't smell anything.

****

Nikki: Mum used to wear a fragrance like that.

****

Natalie: I was too young to remember. (Natalie looks in the Book.) Wait, I thought you said there was nothing in here about releasing your fear. (Nikki looks at the page,) "To let go of your fear, trust in the greatest of all powers."

****

Nikki: That wasn't there this morning.

****

Natalie: Well, maybe because of all the stress...

****

Nikki: No, Natalie, it wasn't there alright. It's in mum's handwriting, I would of remembered.

****

Natalie: Okay, uh, what do you think the greatest of all powers is? Do you think that's the power of three?

****

Nikki: I don't know.

****

Natalie: What is it?

****

Nikki: It's like I can feel her presence.

****

Natalie: Okay, maybe you should get dressed and go to VIP.

****

Nikki: No, um, I don't really think I'm up for that.

****

Natalie: Look, Nikki, you said he disappeared once Relic got there. So maybe he only attacks when you're alone. When your fear is greatest.

****

Nikki: Yeah, you're right.

****

Natalie: Of course I am. Whatever you do, stay away from water, any water, don't even drink it.

****

Nikki: Don't worry. 

****

Natalie: I love you. 

****

Nikki: You too. 

****

Natalie: Why do you do that? 

****

Nikki: What? 

****

Natalie: You never say 'I love you' to me. 

****

Nikki: I just did. 

****

Natalie: No, you just said 'me too' and you never say it to Nina either. Have you ever said 'I love you' to anybody? 

****

Nikki: Yeah, I said it to mum and it was the last thing I said to her right before she died.

(Natalie hugs Nikki.)

[Scene: SWA Properties. Natalie's sitting at a desk. A man walks in.]

****

Natalie: Hi, may I help you?

****

Man: Hi, I was looking for Susan.

****

Natalie: Oh, she's not here but I can tell her you came by. What's your name?

****

Richard: Richard Warner.

****

Natalie: Oh, you're Susan's husband.

****

Richard: Unless she's got one I don't know about.

(Natalie laughs.)

****

Natalie: No, no. She doesn't have another husband.

****

Richard: I thought I'd surprise her and take her to dinner. Do you know where she is?

****

Natalie: Uh, she went out.

****

Richard: Okay, well, I think we established that. Do you know where?

****

Natalie: Uh, well, she... that's actually interesting, she, uh... I can't do this.

****

Richard: I don't understand.

****

Natalie: I'm sorry, Mr. Warner, but I can't be the assistant your wife wants without compromising my beliefs and I just won't do that.

****

Richard: Wait a minute, slow down.

****

Natalie: Don't worry about the office, I will lock up.

(She writes a note.)

****

Richard: Thank you.

****

Natalie: For what?

****

Richard: For not lying to me about Susan's affair.

****

Natalie: You knew?

****

Richard: I've tried denying it for some time now but I guess there comes a time when you have to face the truth.

****

Natalie: I'm so sorry.

****

Richard: Don't be, you mustn't. Don't quit on my behalf.

****

Natalie: I'm not. (He leaves. The phone rings.) SWA Property.

****

Woman on phone: Hello, may I speak to Susan?

****

Natalie: Uh, no, she's not in right now. Can I take a message?

****

Woman on phone: I'm outside a house she was supposed to show me and she's not here.

****

Natalie: Uh, well, I'm sorry but she must of forgotten. She's out for the rest of the day.

****

Woman on phone: Can anybody help me? I flew in from L.A. just to see this house. I'm under a terrible deadline to move from my other house.

****

Natalie: Uh, no one's here. But you know, since you flew in and all, I guess I can show you the property. What's the address?

[Scene: At the property. Natalie walks in the yard.]

****

Natalie: Mrs. Juffy? Hello? Mrs. Juffy? SWA Properties.

(She hears a voice behind her.)

****

Woman: Hello, dear. (Natalie turns around and it's Barbas imitating a woman's voice. Thanks so (his voice changes back) much for coming out.

(He grabs her.)

****

Natalie: Let go or I'll scream.

****

Barbas: I could use the fix.

(He passes his hand in front of her face.)

****

Natalie: I know how you kill. There are no elevators around here.

****

Barbas: Elevators? That's what you think your greatest fear is? You mortals need to look deeper. Down where the real truth lies. Your greatest fear is losing a sister and I get two for one.

[Scene: VIP. Nikki's at Kay's desk while Kay distracts the rest of the team so they don't over hear her conversation. She's on the phone.]

****

Nikki: He's only a threat till midnight, okay. Alright, well, take care and don't look in any closets till then. (Her cell rings.) Alright, look, I gotta go, someone's calling me. Bye. (She picks up the cell.) Hello?

****

Natalie: Nikki, it's Natalie. I got stuck at a house I was showing. Can you come and get me?

****

Nikki: Yeah, sure. Where are you?

[Cut to the property. Barbas is on the phone imitating Natalie's voice.]

****

Barbas/Natalie: I'm at 3112 Napper Street.

****

Nikki: Alright, I'm on my way.

(You see Natalie is tied up and with tape over her mouth.)

[Cut back to Nikki.]

****

Nikki: Okay, I'll be there in a little while. (She hangs up) I have to go. Natalie got stuck at a house she was showing and I have to pick her up.

****

Tasha: Try not to stumble across any more dead people.

****

Nikki: Very funny. (She leaves)

****

Johnny: I'm gonna follow her.

****

Kay: Are you sure that's a good idea?

****

Johnny: I want to know what's going on. And I'm gonna find out. (he leaves)

[Scene: At the property. Nikki walks to the gate.Johnny is following her.]

Nikki: Natalie?

(She opens the gate.)

Natalie: I'm in the backyard. You won't believe the view from here.

(Nikki walks in the yard.)

Nikki: Nats, where are you? (She walks near the swimming pool.) Natalie?

(Nikki turns around and sees Natalie tied up and Barbas standing there.)

Barbas: (imitating Natalie's voice) Isn't that a great view? (Barbas pushes Nikki in the pool.) That's right. (Nikki sinks to the bottom. She tries to swim back up to the top but can't.) Give me your fear.

(Nikki is running out of air but something seems to be pulling her down.) 

****

Johnny: Nikki! (he grabs one of the long pool cleaners things and puts it in the water for her to grab it.) Nikki! Grab it.

(Nikki's starting to get really weak and can't grab onto it.)

****

Johnny: Nikki! (Starting to get hysterical) Nikki! Fight it! You have to hold on!

****

Barbas: That's enough interference from you! (He waves his hand and Johnny goes flying and lands next to Natalie)

(A bright light appears in the pool.)

A voice: Nikki, Nikki. You must face your fears, Nikki. You must trust in the greatest of all powers. Love.

Nikki: Mum?

A voice: Save yourself. Save your sister. Save Johnny.

****

Nikki: Johnny?

(Nikki's mum holds out her hand.) 

****

A Voice: Don't be afraid. (Nikki reaches out and holds her mum's hand. Her mum pulls her up to the top.)

Nikki: (to Barbas) It's over. (She gets out of the pool.)

Barbas: Your fear.

Nikki: I'm not afraid anymore.

Barbas: Nooo! (Barbas burns and explodes. The rope disappears off Natalie. Nikki and Natalie hug.)

Natalie: Oh my God, I was so scared.

Nikki: I know. I'm just glad you're safe.

Natalie: I don't know what would happen if I ever lost you. I love you.

Nikki: I love you. (She turns to Johnny) What are you doing here anyways?

****

Johnny: Your alive! 

****

Nikki: (She wipes some blood off of his forehead from when he got thrown) Your bleeding.

****

Johnny: Your alive.

****

Nikki: Yes, we've establshed that. (Johnny hugs her, she awkwardly pats his back comfortingly)

****

Johnny: I thought you were dead.

****

Nikki: I'm not dieing anytime soon.

****

Johnny: Don't ever do that again!

****

Nikki: I have no current plans to drown again.

(Johnny kisses her.)

(Natalie gets up to leave)

****

Natalie: Don't mind me. I'm just gonna go hurl.

(They part.)

****

Johnny: I love you.

****

Nikki: (quickly gets over the shock of the kiss and the confession then smiles) I love you too. 

(They kiss again.)

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Nina's sitting on the floor in front of the fire place. Natalieand Nikki walk in.]

Natalie: Hey, what are you doing?

Nina: Kicking myself. I just lost probably the greatest catch in San Francisco.

Nikki: I don't think. Maybe like the second greatest. But definetly not the greatest. What happened?

Nina: He doesn't like women who rely on superstitions to make decisions. And I'm not so sure he's wrong.

Natalie: So, Nikki vanquished the demon of fear.

Nikki: Well, at least put him back in the bottle for another thirteen hundred years.

Nina: Wait, whoa, what? What happened?

Natalie: Well, he pushed her into a pool and then...

Nikki: And mum helped me out.

Nina: Mum?

Nikki: Okay, I know it sounds crazy but I saw her. It was just like my dream. She was this incredible vision, so peaceful and she took my hand and brought me to the surface.

Nina: That doesn't sound crazy. I wish I could've seen her.

Natalie: Me too.

Nina: I'm just glad you're alright.

(They hug.)

Nikki: I love you.

(Nina breaks the hug.)

Nina: What did you just say?

Nikki: I love you.

(Nina and Natalie smile.)

Nina: I think that's the first time you've said that to me.

Nikki: Yeah, I know, I wish I had of said it a long time ago. Ever since mum died I've been afraid to say it. I didn't want to lose anybody else.

Nina: Well, we're not going anywhere.

****

Natalie: Oh, and Nikki got her guy.

****

Nina: That's what she was going on about. So you and Johnny finally got together, how'd it happen?

****

Nikki: He followed me when I went to pick up who I thought was Natalie. 

****

Natalie: He was hysterical when Nikki was in the pool.

****

Nina: But what about…?

****

Nikki: He understands and promises not to say anything. Though I think I forgot to mention that Kay knows… 

****

Natalie: Oh well, should be interesting.

Nikki: Okay. I'm exhausted. I'll se you two in the morning.

(Nikki leaves the room.)

Nina: Uh, what happened to her in that pool?

Natalie: I don't know. But whatever is was, it must of been incredible.

[Cut to the attic. Nikki's sitting in a chair holding the Book Of Shadows. You see words magically appear on a page and their mother's voice saying: "Thanks for letting them in your heart."]

Nikki: I miss you, mum.


	10. Seven Deadly Val's

**__**

Charmed 10

[Scene: Street. Nikki and Natalie pull up in the car. They get out and start walking.]

Nikki: Alright, it should be around here somewhere.

Natalie: And you can't be more precise about what it is?

Nikki: Okay, I told you, it's some sort of evilly thing.

Natalie: Why'd I let you talk me into this? I should be at home procrastinating my delinquent ethics paper, not chasing some wild goose.

Nikki: Wild demon, okay? And I was scrying for unnatural activity and this place came up loud and clear.

Natalie: Wait a minute, are you telling me you're actually looking for trouble now? Nikki, what happened to putting more balance in your life? You know, less Wicca wonder, more Nikki.

Nikki: I was bored, Okay? And why should we wait for the demons to come to us? We can obviously kick their asses.

****

Natalie: That's true. But still, we get enough trouble with out looking for it.

Nikki: I know. (Nikki looks over at a dumpster.) I think that's it.

Natalie: Good.

Nikki: Alright, on the count of three. One, two...

(She Opens the lid.)

Natalie: Oh my god! (She runs over to it.) It's the coffee maker I wanted.

(She pulls out an empty box.)

Nikki: Natalie, it's just a carton.

Natalie: Oh, right, of course. You are good, you just protected me from making a fool out of myself.

Nikki: Now there's a full time job.

Natalie: Thank you very much.

(They continue walk down the street.)

Nikki: Well... (They hear voices coming from an alley.) Seek and you shall find.

[Cut to the alley. Two men are there arguing. One man is holding a small crystal box.]

Man #1: Please, just one more.

Man #2: I told you! (He pushes man #1.) What you want is no longer in this box.

Man #1: I need more! Won't you understand? I've gotta have more!

Man #2: You can never get enough greed, can you?

(Man #2 throws a fireball at him and he flies against a dumpster. Nikki and Natalie run over to them.)

Nikki: Hey! (She punches man #2. He drops the box.)

Man #1: The box.

(The two men both dive for the box. Nikki kicks the box away and it slides into the street. Man #2 tries to get up and Natalie kicks him in the face.)

Man #2: That box belongs to Lucas.

Natalie: Yeah, well, tell Lucas it's been empoun... (he disappears) dered.

(Nikki goes over to man #1.)

Nikki: Hey, it's okay, it's over.

Man #1: No, gotta have more. Don't you understand? I've gotta have more!

(He pushes Nikki out of the way and runs onto the road.)

Nikki: No!

(The man is hit by a bus.)

[Time lapse: The police are questioning witnesses.]

[Cut to Natalie being interviewed by a cop.]

Cop: In your opinion, was there anything the bus driver could have done to avoid him?

Natalie: No, it happened too fast, he didn't have time to react.

Cop: Alright, I think that's it. If I could just have your home phone number in case I have any 

other questions.

Natalie: It's the same as my sister's. We live together.

Cop: Really? Just out of curiosity, what would you say if one of my other questions was, can I take you out to dinner?

(Natalie laughs.)

Natalie: Ooh, you caught me off guard with that one.

Cop: That's my job.

Natalie: Uh, well, you're very good at it. Um, but I-I think that it would be best if those numbers stayed in the report. I'm seeing someone.

Cop: I'm not surprised.

Relic: Officer.

Cop: Excuse me.

(Natalie walks over to Nikki.)

Natalie: Are you okay?

Nikki: Um, I don't know. I keep on thinking about what we could have done differently to try and save him but he ran into the street so fast, and...

Natalie: We couldn't have saved him, Nikki. Not without knowing more about the demon who did this to him.

(The coroners take the body away.)

Nikki: Lucas. To find him we have to find out what's so special about this box.

[Scene: Lucas' place. Lucas has Man #2 up in the air by the neck.]

Lucas: Do you have any idea how important that box is?

Man #2: I thought you were working on controlling your anger.

Lucas: I am controlling my anger!

(He drops the man. The man holds up a crystal.)

Man #2: At least we got the business man sold, Lucas.

Lucas: Yes, but I need to deliver seven souls for seven sins.

Man #2: Can't you just locate the box?

Lucas: Yes, but I have to figure out a way to get around the witches first. Thanks to you. You know, my own self destruction was supposed to bring me peace from sin. Instead, I am damned to spend eternity inflicting others.

Man #2: You gotta know the product to move it.

Lucas: I know the product. I know how sin works human desire. Which might be exactly the way to get to the witches. Yeah, sure, why not? Witches have human desires too, right? (He laughs.) You know, there's only one thing that I can't quite figure out. Why do I need you? (A bright light shoots out of his hands and flies into Man #2. Man #2 disappears in a ball of flames.) I needed to vent.

[Scene: Manor. Nikki and Natalie walk inside. Nikki gets the box out of her bag.]

Natalie: Don't open that. Let me go get Nina first.

Nikki: Why?

Natalie: Oh, gee, Nikki, I don't know. Maybe so you don't go running in the street and get hit by a bus too. (Natalie goes in the kitchen where Nina is making sushi.) Nina, we need... Wow. Expecting company?

Nina: Uh, no, I was just looking for something to do.

Natalie: To take up your entire day?

Nina: Well, sushi don't roll itself. 

Natalie: Nikki and I lost an innocent this morning, so we need you. (They walk into the living room. Nikki is looking closely at the box.) Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?

Nikki: Uh, opening the box.

Natalie: You're supposed to be waiting for me and Nina.

Nikki: Okay, so you're here. I'm gonna open it.

(Natalie takes it away from her.)

Natalie: What if you unleash some huge abomination?

Nikki: Whatever it is, I'm sure that we can handle it.

Nina: But at least I think we should call Leo and ask his opinion first.

(Leo orbs in.)

Leo: You called?

Nikki: No.

Natalie: But as long as you're here. Box. Intercepted from a demon. Open it? Yay or nay?

Leo: Have you checked the Book of Shadows?

Nina: No. But that's a great idea. Leo, you're a genius. What would we do without him?

Nikki: Oh, I don't know. I guess our lives wouldn't be this smooth running, carefree existence that they are today.

Nina: Oh, uh, Natalie, your ethics professor called about your meeting today at 2:00.

Natalie: Well, obviously I can't make it now.

Nikki: No, no, no, you should go. I mean, you're too close to graduating to mess up now. The three of us can handle the box.

Natalie: Are you sure?

Nikki: Yes, go. Although, you might want to change into, oh, I don't know, clothes. Actual shirt.

(Natalie looks down at her open vest, showing most of her bra.)

Natalie: Okay.

Nikki: Okay. That's very... let's go.

(They all go upstairs.)

[Time lapse. Attic. Nikki, Nina and Leo are there. They have the Book of Shadows opened up to a page on 'The Seven Deadly Sins'.]

Nikki: 'Bottled at the Source by the Source.' So what, it's a box of sin?

Nina: Good thing you didn't open it. It would have been Pandora all over again.

Leo: Not quite. But this may be how the myth got started. Only it's much more specific type of attack. According to this, the box contains seven balls of sin used to corrupt paragon's good.

Nina: If you're a paragon of good, how do you get corrupted?

Leo: Because no one is immune to sin. Whether it be pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed or sloth. Whichever one you're predisposed to, is the one that attacks you.

Nikki: Well, the business man must have been attacked by greed, that's why he kept on wanting more.

Leo: Only his greed was magnified a thousand times.

Nikki: And it explains why my scry worked. I thought the unnatural activity was the demon courier. But it must have been the sin working against the businessman's good nature.

Nina: Okay, so what do we do now?

Leo: Well, the infector appears to be the link. Destroy Lucas and the sins lose their power.

Nikki: Do we know anything about these infectors?

Leo: Only that they were humans consumed by sundering life and in death.

Nina: So what we need to do now is find a spell to remove the sin from the infected human incase Lucas strikes again, right?

Nikki: You can't remove sin magically or otherwise. It's apart of all of us.

Nina: Even you?

Nikki: Yes, even me. Just a teeny little bit. Nothing that anyone would notice but me.

[Cut to downstairs. Lucas appears and picks up the box. Natalie comes down the stairs.]

Natalie: Okay, you guys, wish me luck. (She sees Lucas.) Hey.

Lucas: It's okay. I think you're gonna like this one.

(A sin ball hits Natalie. Nikki, and Nikki. Two more sin balls hit them. Lucas disappears.)

Natalie: What was that? What just happened?

Nina: Oh, no, don't tell me we got infected with the sin thingy.

(Leo comes down stairs)

Natalie: What do you mean? (to Nikki) What is she talking about?

Nikki: Okay, nobody panic. Does anybody feel different?

Nina: No.

Natalie: Uh-uh.

Nikki: Alright, so maybe we're immune because we're magical.

Leo: I don't know, I better orb up and ask.

Nikki: You do that. Nina and I will go recheck the book, and you missy, you get your butt to that meeting and charm the pants off of your professor. Go, and get home as soon as possible. (Nikki pushes Natalie out the door. Natalie tries to protest.) No, I'm sure, go! OK, I'm gonna call VIP and let them know I'm not coming in…again. 

[Scene: VIP. Val is sitting at the table pigging out. Johnny and Quick are sparring. Kay is at the computer. And Tasha is at the firing range. The phone rings.]

****

Kay: Hello, this is VIP.

****

Nikki: Kay, good. Look I can't come in today. We have to deal with a demon who is handing out the seven dealy sins to people. He tried to infect us but being magical and all I think we're immune. But you know demons to vanquish, innocents to save. 

****

Val: Can somebody get me some soda?

****

Kay: Uh, Nikki, is laziness one of the seven deadly sins?

****

Nikki: Sloth? Yeah, why?

****

Kay: (Making sure no one can hear her) Because I think Val is infected…

****

Nikki: Crap. Okay, keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't do anything self destructive.

****

Kay: Alright. Hurry up, okay?

****

Nikki: I'll take care of this in no time. Bye. (She hangs up)

(Kay hangs up the phone.)

****

Kay: Nikki won't be coming in today. Family emergency.

****

Tasha: Another one? Geez, if she's going to skip work she could at least come up with a better excuse.

****

Johnny: (entering the room) Give her a break Tash. She has to put up with a lot. Personaly, I'm worried about her.

****

Kay: Yeah, I mean, sometimes she acts like she's superwoman. I wonder if she ever slows down to rest.

****

Quick: Nikki's a big girl. She can take care of herself.

****

Johnny: And apparently she thinks she can take care of the rest of the world….

****

Tasha: You followed her yesterday. You never did tell us what happened.

****

Johnny: She picked up her sister, whose car had broken down at a property she was showing. Nothing else.

****

Val: Is anybody going to get me that soda?

****

Tasha: Get it yourself.

****

Val: I don't feel like it. I'm tired. I think I'll take a nap. (She groans as she pulls herself up and drags herself to the couch to lie down and sleep.)

****

Tasha: And what's with her all of a sudden? I know Val is lazy, but this is ridiculous!

****

Quick: Tash, calm down. Everything's going to be OK.

[Scene: College. Natalie's professor's office. Natalie is sitting in a chair.]

Professor: The problem is, it's an ethics course, it's about the dialectic. So when someone misses as many classes as you have, it's hard to catch up. (Natalie sighs and rubs her forehead.) Are you okay?

Natalie: I don't know.

Professor: Plus, you owe me a major paper, and if I don't get it soon...

Natalie: What are you gonna do to me?

Professor: I'll have to give you an incomplete. I'll have no other choice. Now, do you have anything else to say to me?

Natalie: I'm not wearing any underwear.

Professor: Excuse me?

Natalie: Yeah, I find it to... constricting.

Professor: Are you making some kind of a joke?

Natalie: No, I'm serious. Dead serious. (She stands up.) I've been a bad girl. A very bad girl. (She slowly moves closer to him.) And I'll do anything to make it up to you. I'll do anything to pass. Anything.

(She grabs him and they fall over the desk onto the floor.)

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Nina is sitting at the table talking on the phone, and flipping through a magazine.]

Nina: Ah, no, that'll be it. Just the two Donna Karan dresses, the three pairs of Croft and Barrows shoes, the Wong Gucci jacket and the Prada bag. What's the total?

(Nikki walks in.)

Nikki: Alright, we don't have much time...

Nina: Shh! I'm on the phone with Bloomingdales. (on the phone) Oh, okay, um, well, then I'm gonna have to split that on two credit cards. You can put $5000 on the card that's on file, and the re-- (Nikki hangs up the phone.) What are you doing?

Nikki: Uh, saving your life or at least your credit rating, which is your life.

Nina: Excuse me, Leo needs suits.

Nikki: Leo doesn't wear suits.

Nina: Yet.

(Nina picks up a wine glass and has a sip.)

Nikki: A-a-are you drinking in the middle of the day?

Nina: I was a little bummed about this sin thing, so I thought I deserved a little indulgence. Would you like a bit of bubbly?

Nikki: No, I would like a little bit of help. We are supposed to be tracking down Lucas.

Nina: Sorry. Catch me up.

(Nikki sits down.)

Nikki: Alright, so it turns out that those sin balls work a lot faster than we thought. Once infected, the victim only has a few hours before it drives them to a total self destruction.

Nina: Well, good thing we weren't infected then, huh?

(Nina picks up a chocolate and takes a bite.)

Nikki: Right. But now that Lucas has the box, the question is who will be. I mean, I tried scrying for unnatural activity but it just kept pointing back to the manor.

(Natalie runs in.)

Natalie: Guess what? My ethics professor kicked me out of class.

Nikki: What? Why, what happened?

Natalie: I don't know, I don't know. One minute I was telling him why my paper was late, the next thing I knew was... unzipping his pants with my teeth.

Nikki: Oh, Natalie, you do know that charming the pants off someone is just a figure of speech, don't you?

Natalie: I don't know what came over me, Nikki. I'm just glad that I realized what was happening before I... eww!

Nikki: Alright, unfortunately, what got into you is lust. As in the sin of.

Nina: Wait a minute, now you think we were infected?

Nikki: Hello? Gluttony, table for one.

Nina: Leo!

(Leo orbs in)

****

Leo: what?

****

Natalie: I'm hungry.

****

Nina: Oh, have some chocolate.

****

Natalie: Ooh!

Nikki: Okay, uh, excuse me, sins in a box. Demon hunt, real life. Can we please focus here? 

Now, what did 'they' say about Lucas' sneak attack?

Leo: They didn't say anything…

Nikki: What?

Leo: They didn't say anything

(The doorbell rings.)

Nina: I'll get it. (Nina opens the door and a flower delivery guy brings in bunches of flowers.) Oh, how gorgeous.

Delivery Guy: Hi. Boy, these are a lot of flowers.

(Natalie walks in the foyer.)

Natalie: I'll say. I love a man in a uniform.

Nikki: Hey, who sent the flowers?

Nina: I did, for myself.

Nikki: Oh, this is just too much.

Natalie: (to the delivery guy) I bet you're too much.

(She places her hands on his chest.)

Nikki: Alright, that's it. That's enough. (She pushes the delivery guy outside.) Nothing to see 

here, nothing to respond to, get out. You! What are you smiling at, buddy?

(He leaves.)

Natalie: Why did you do that?

Nikki: Because unless you guys want those flowers at your funeral, you had better get a grip, okay? You've been infected. Gluttony, and lust

Nina: How did I get gluttony? I don't over eat.

Nikki: No, but you over do. The sins are drawn to our predisposition's and lately yours has been excess.

Natalie: What sin did you get hit with?

Nikki: Well, I didn't get hit.

Natalie: Oh, I saw you get hit.

Nikki: Well, I must be strong enough to fight it off, I'm not showing any symptoms, am I? And thank goodness, alright, one of us has to keep our wits about us. (She sees the news on the TV.) Hey, turn that up..

(Leo turns up the TV.)

Reporter: The SWAT team just arrived at Bay City Motor Cars. A further signal that police are taking this seriously. Pastor Roger Tremble threatens to shoot and kill his hostage if his demands are not met. (VIP can be seen pulling up in the background.)

Anchorwoman: Do you have any idea what exactly the Pastor's demands are?

Reporter: Well, actually, yeah, they're a little bazaar but he claims he wants a Jag. Specifically a XK convertible in British racing green.

Nina: That's a new one.

Natalie: That news caster's kinda cute.

Nikki: Alright, what do you wanna bet that the demon infected the Pastor with envy.

Nina: Nikki, out of all the people in San Francisco...

Leo: Still, he does fit the profile. Paragon of good, driven to an act of self destruction.

Nikki: Yeah, especially with a SWAT team outside. Alright, we can not let this demon steal anymore of our innocent souls. (Nikki drags Natalie away from the TV.) Nina, are you coming?

Nina: Uh, I was gonna stay here with Leo and hold down the fort.

Natalie: More like hold down the couch.

Nina: I'll come if you want me to.

Nikki: No, it's fine, I'll just do all of it myself if I have to. Come on, Natalie.

(Nikki and Natalie leave.)

Nina: You think she's mad?

Leo: Probably.

(An infomercial comes up on the TV.)

Nina: Hand me the phone.

(He hands her the phone and she dials the number on the TV.)

[Scene: Bay City Motor Cars. The SWAT team have surrounded the building. Nikki and Natalie are there talking to Relic. The VIP team (Minus Nikki) are trying to come up with a plan on how to get the hostage out if the negotiations don't work]

Nikki: Look, Relic, just let me handle this.

Relic: Look, Nikki, it's a highly charged, highly public situation. I can't just ask SWAT to let you handle it. I get enough flak from these guys as it is.

Nikki: Alright, fine. I'll do this without your help.

Relic: Come on, Nikki, you're not being reasonable.

Natalie: I have something to say. I see that cute officer from this morning.

(She gets all excited.)

Nikki: Hey, stay on point, we still have an innocent to save.

Relic: You're right, we all do, cops included. Look, just let the hostage negotiators handle it, please?

Nikki: Fine. What's the plan?

Relic: The plan is to talk the Pastor down, weigh him out.

Nikki: Okay.

Relic: It works in most cases, trust me.

Nikki: Okay, well, if he's been infected it will not work in this case, trust me, alright. The Pastor's only gonna get worse.

Relic: What would you do to resolve it? Wait, infected? With what?

Nikki: There's only one thing to do.

(Nikki walks towards the building.)

Relic: Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! (to SWAT) Hold your fire! Hold your fire! (He notices Natalie is gone.) Natalie?

[Cut to VIP.]

****

Kay: Hey…Is that Nikki? 

****

Johnny: What the hell does she think she's doing?

****

Val: Can I go now? I'm tired!

****

Tasha: Val, I've had it up to here with you today. I know your lazy but this is ridiculous!

[Cut inside the building. The Pastor has a gun up to the salesman's throat. Nikki walks in.]

Nikki: Pastor Tremble?

(The Pastor turns around and points the gun at Nikki.)

Pastor: Who are you?

Nikki: Whoa, okay, hold on, I'm-I'm-I'm here to help, but I can not do that until you put the gun down.

Pastor: Get outta here.

Nikki: I just wanna talk.

Pastor: I just want my Jag. Do you want me to shoot you too? I swear I will.

Nikki: Okay, no, no, no, wait. I-I know what's happened to you, okay? You've been infected with sin.

Pastor: I warned you.

Nikki: No. (Nikki uses her power but he doesn't freeze. He shoots at Nikki.)

[Cut to outside. Everyone crouches down when they hear the gunshot. Screams are heard. Relic grabs a megaphone and talks into it. Johnny runs over to Relic.]

Relic: Nikki, you alright? Talk to me, Nikki.

Johnny: What is she doing?

Relic: I don't know. She came up insisting that we let her handle it, then she just went inside. And she was saying something of the pastor being infected.

Johnny: Infected with what?

Relic: I don't know.

(Nikki finally comes out with the salesman.)

Nikki: Everything's under control, don't worry a thing. I've got it all under control. Hi, he needs medical attention. The Pastor's inside, I kicked his ass. He needs attention too, he's knocked out.

(Everyone applauds and news reporters rush up to Nikki.)

Reporter: Hi, can I just ask a few questions?

Nikki: The name's Franco, Nikki Franco.

Reporter #2: What made you run in there?

Nikki: Well, my job is to protect the innocent.

Reporter: Do you work for the police?

Nikki: No, actually, I don't.

(Johnny pulls Nikki away.)

Johnny: No, she's a part of VIP. No further questions.

Nikki: Why did you do that? I was just getting started.

Johnny: 'Cause you were about to hang yourself. You shouldn't be talking to the press.

Nikki: Why not?

(VIP and Relic come up)

Johnny: Because they'll destroy you. What's the matter with you?

Nikki: Nothing can destroy me, Johnny.

Tasha: Nikki, you're bleeding.

(Nikki looks at her arm.)

Nikki: Whoa, I am, oh my. That bullet must have grazed me.

Quick: And you didn't even feel it?

Nikki: No, no, you know, the adrenaline, it's no big deal.

Johnny: No big deal? You almost got yourself killed. I've never seen you runaway from danger before, but I've never seen you run toward it either. What, have you got a death wish or something?

Nikki: It does sound kind of self destructive, doesn't it? Oh, oh, that means I've been infected. That must be why…

Relic: Nikki, what's going on?

Nikki: Relic, I don't have time to explain. Can you get Pastor Tremble to a safe place? Some place where he won't hurt himself, like a psychiatric hospital.

Relic: Yeah, sure, shouldn't be a problem in his case.

Nikki: Okay, good, but nobody can know that he's there, okay? Because if so, he'll be in a lot of danger

Relic: Okay, I don't know how long I can keep it a secret though.

Nikki: Well, I don't really need that long. Just long enough for me to find the guy and take care of him, okay? Okay. Now where is my sister? Natalie!

[Cut inside a SWAT truck. Natalie is there making out with the officer from before. She starts undressing him, then pulls out a strip of condoms from her bag.]

Natalie: It's a good thing I came prepared.

(She rips one off with her teeth. Relic opens the door.)

Relic: Officer!

Nikki: Natalie!

Officer: Wait, I can explain.

Relic: The hell you can. Get outta there!

(Relic pulls him out of the truck. Nikki pulls Natalie out of the truck. She grabs her coat.)

Nikki: Here, put it on. Are you out of your mind?

Natalie: Um, yeah, I think so. But if you're gonna go crazy...

Nikki: Yeah, well, my sin's not nearly as much fun as yours.

Natalie: Wait, you're sin? I thought you didn't get hit.

Nikki: Well, that was the pride talking and it almost got me killed already.

Natalie: Pride? You don't seem all that different.

Nikki: Really? Well, back atcha. We need to get home and try and track down this demon, okay?

****

Quick: Demon?

****

Nikki: Bad guy. He's really evil so we refer to him as a demon.

****

Natalie: (eyeing Quick) Hi.

****

Quick: (Confused)…Hi…

****

Tasha: What do you mean sins?

****

Nikki: Look, I'll talk to you later. I have to go take of this guy. You know save lives? Come on Natalie.

Natalie: No, I don't think so, I'm having too much fun, so I'll just see you later. (Moving closer to Quick)

Nikki: If I don't get you home, there won't be a later. (Grabs Natalie and pulls her away)

[Cut to Relic and the officer.]

Relic: What the hell is the matter with you? Not only in the middle of the day, but in the middle of 

a crisis.

Officer: Look, she attacked me. I swear, I didn't have a choice. Not much of one.

Relic: That's a pathetic excuse. You're an officer for crying out loud.

Officer: What would you want me to do? Shoot her?

Relic: You're suspended.

Officer: What?

Relic: Go back to the station, turn in your hardware.

(Relic walks away.)

Officer: You can't suspend me. It was her fault. Damn it!

(Lucas appears.)

Lucas: You know that anger is one of the seven deadly sins? Your blood pressure's rising, adrenaline's pumping, you wanna hit somebody, don'tcha?

Officer: Who the hell are you?

(Lucas gets out the box and hits the officer with the anger sin ball.)

Lucas: I'm somebody who can help you channel that anger.

[Scene: Manor. Porch. Nikki and Natalie walk up to the door.]

Natalie: You know, it would have not killed you to drive by the fire station for a little looksy.

Nikki: You know what? (She opens the door.) If you and Nina do not get your sins under 

control...

(They walk inside and all of Nina's purchases fill the foyer and living room. Nina walks in.)

Nina: Good, you're here. The pashminas have arrived and they're to die for. Come see. (A delivery man walks past carrying long metal strip things.) Whoa, hey, hi, almost decapitated.

Natalie: Hello. (They walk into another room filled with stuff. Nina pulls a pashmina out of a box.) Wow, Nina, you really put the glutt in gluttony.

Nikki: Okay, how did you get this stuff so fast?

Nina: Oh, I just let my fingers do the walking and the clicking and the... flipping.

Nikki: Flipping as in the pages of the Book of Shadows? You used magic?

Nina: Well, yeah, I couldn't wait six to eight weeks for delivery.

Nikki: That is so personal gain.

Nina: No, 'cause we need all of this stuff.

(Natalie leaves the room.)

Nikki: Okay, Nina, this isn't you. You're being consumed by your consumption and it will only lead to your total misuse of magic.

(Nina turns on a water fountain.)

Nina: Soothing, isn't it?

****

Nikki: No, no, no. (She turns it off.) Alright, you guys, the last I checked we still had a demon to vanquish and an innocent to save.

Natalie: I thought you said Relic hid the Pastor some place safe.

Nikki: Yes, he did, but envy is only the sixth sin. Which means there's still an innocent out there infected with anger.

Nina: What would you like us to do about it?

(Natalie picks up a magazine and starts to read it.)

Nikki: I would like for you to concentrate on the task at hand! (Nina puts on a pair of boxing gloves.) We still have the power of three.

(She looks at Nina and Natalie.)

[Scene: Police station. The officer walks outside to his car. He puts his bag in the boot and shuts the door. Lucas appears.]

Lucas: Did you find out where they're hiding the Pastor?

Officer: Where'd you come from?

Lucas: Answer my question.

Officer: No one's talking. At least not to me.

Lucas: That's not good enough.

Officer: Look, I don't know who you think you are!

(The officer grabs his chest in pain.)

Lucas: Anger's the worst, isn't it? Especially when the burning rage zaps you of all your strength and reason and the relentless screams locks out all hope. Use it against the Francos. (He pulls the officer's gun out of his belt.) Make them tell you where the Pastor is. Trust me, anger always feels better when it has a target.

[Scene: Manor. Attic. Nikki, Nina and Natalie are there. Nikki's looking through the Book of Shadows, Nina's got her feet in a foot spa, and Natalie is lying in a chair.]

Nikki: There is nothing, there is nothing in the book. Why did only lame witches precede it?

Nina: Because nobody is as good as you, Nikki.

Nikki: You know, at least I'm trying, Nina. Instead of getting a foot massage, or sleeping.

Natalie: I'm not sleeping. I'm just having the best premonitions of my life.

Nikki: Of what?

Natalie: It's a button off Officer Cutie's shirt. Let me tell you, if the movie's anything like the previews... whoa.

Nikki: Alright, is that all that you care about? (Natalie nods.) Fine. I'll save the innocents, I'll vanquish the demon, and if I feel like it, maybe when I'm done, I'll save you guys.

Natalie: Oh, don't do us any favors.

Nina: Yeah, Nikki, worry about yourself.

(Nina knocks a lamp in the foot spa and gets electrocuted. She falls over the back of the chair.)

Nikki: Nina! (She runs over to her.) You alright?

Nina: Oh, what happened?

Nikki: Uh, you were shocked.

Nina: I feel strange.

Nikki: Yes, well, if you had both feet in the water you wouldn't feel anything. (Nikki helps her up. The doorbell rings.) Who is that?

(Natalie looks out the window and sees the officer standing on the porch.)

Natalie: Oh! Oh! It's Officer Cutie from this morning. (She opens the window.) Hey! Hey, up here! I'm gonna come down, okay?

(Natalie leans out the window and nearly falls out.)

Nikki: Natalie, watch out! (Nikki pulls her back in.) Do you see what's happening?

Natalie: That was close. (She runs out of the attic.)

Nina: Nikki, we just have different priorities than you do. You need a little pick me up. How about I buy you some shoes?

(She heads for the door.)

[Cut to the foyer. Natalie opens the door.]

Natalie: I knew you'd come back for me.

(The officer walks in.)

Officer: This isn't a social call.

(He grabs Natalie.)

Natalie: Whoa, are we role-playing? Did you bring your handcuffs?

(He gets out his gun and points it at Natalie.)

Officer: Where's the Pastor?

Natalie: I don't know, I swear.

Officer: You're lying! (He pushes her into a box full of stuff.) You're something else, you know that? (He throws boxes around the room.) I got suspended because of you! You think you can ruin somebody's life and not pay for it? (He points the gun at her.) You're gonna pay.

Natalie: No.

Officer: You're gonna pay right now.

Natalie: Please, don't shoot.

(Nina walks down the stairs and screams.)

Nina: My stuff! 

Officer: Where's the Pastor?

Nina: I don't know.

(Natalie knocks the officer down and he shoots up in the air. Nina falls down the stairs and knocks over all the stuff. A large wooden box falls on top of her. Nina tries to climb out from under the box. She looks over at Natalie and sees her unconscious on the floor.) Natalie?

(The officer stands up. Nikki comes down the stairs. He yells and points the gun at himself. She freezes him and runs down thew stairs kicking the gun out of hs hand. He falls back onto some furniture. She looks at the unconscious Nina and Natalie. Lucas appears behind Nikki and grabs her.)

Lucas: You can't save what's already lost.

[Scene: Manor. Natalie is still unconscious on the floor. Nina crawls over to her and feels her pulse. She crawls over to the stairs.]

Nina: Leo! (She starts to climb the steps.) Aah! (She pulls herself up to the top.) Leo!

[Cut to the guest room. Leo is asleep on the bed. Nina limps into her room.]

Nina: Leo, please wake up. Leo. (She falls over and knocks some things off of her dresser.) Ow!

(Leo wakes up.)

Leo: Huh? What? Nina!

(He runs over to her..).

Leo: Where are you hurt?

Nina: No, you've gotta go downstairs and heal Natalie first and then go find Nikki because the demon took her.

(Nina is struck with a bright light.)

Leo: You glowed.

Nina: I did? Did you heal me?

Leo: No, not yet. (He heals her.) It's the sin. You must have gotten rid of it.

Nina: Wait a minute, you said there's no magical way to do that.

Leo: There isn't. Maybe there's a human way. Maybe by being selfless. By you caring more about your sisters you over came it.

Nina: Well, that means Natalie must have gotten rid of her sin too because she risked her life to save me.

(They run downstairs to Natalie.)

Leo: She's still breathing.

(Leo heals her.)

Nina: Hi, honey.

Natalie: Hi. Leo, what are you doing up?

Leo: Fixing you.

Natalie: Where's Nikki?

Nina: Uh, we don't know, but we need to find her. She won't admit it but she's in big trouble.

[Scene: Lucas' place. Nikki is tied up. She is struggling to get free.]

Lucas: You think you can break free, but you can't. See, that's what makes pride the deadliest of all the sins. It makes you think you're invincible. Above it all...

Nikki: My powers...

Lucas: Are useless now. Corrupted. You have only a small window of opportunity to save your life before it's too late.

Nikki: No demon has defeated me. And you won't be the first.

Lucas: You see, but I don't have to defeat you, you're gonna defeat yourself. In mere minutes you'll be so far gone you will self destruct just like all the rest. However, I am willing to make you a deal.

Nikki: I don't make deals with demons.

Lucas: Do you listen to them? Look, we both know that you safe guarded the Pastor, which means that I can't deliver his soul. But this late in the game I am willing to pay for it. Tell me where the Pastor is and I'll remove your sin.

Nikki: Go to hell.

Lucas: This is my hell. Every rotten day of it. Listen, I am giving you a chance to save your life, Nikki. To end your hell.

Nikki: If you remove my sin, you'll still be one more soul short.

Lucas: That's true, but once it's sponged, I can use the sin again. You see, it'll just pop right back into my box.

Nikki: And let you infect another innocent? I don't think so. Screw you.

(Lucas picks up a stick and taps it on the floor. A large hole in the floor opens up.)

Lucas: Witness the bottomless pit of ever lasting torment. Pride goes with before the very long fall, Nikki. So what's your decision? Remember, if I lose you lose.

Nikki: Alright, alright, untie me.

Lucas: Tell me where the Pastor is first.

Nikki: Oh, untie me first. If I self destruct, you will never get a soul.

(Lucas unties her.)

Lucas: Alright, where is he?

Nikki: Ha, you lose I win, ha!

(Natalie, Nina and Leo walk in. Nikki jumps in the pit.)

Lucas: No!

Natalie: Nikki!

Nina: No! Leo, Leo, Leo!

(Leo orbs out into the hole.)

Lucas: Why did she have to have pride? Pride is the one sin you can't beat.

Nina: Beat this.

(Nina throws him into the wall.)

Natalie: Oh, I see orbs.

(Leo orbs back in with Nikki.)

Nikki: Let go, I can handle this.

(Nikki elbows him in the chest.)

Leo: Ow! I was saving you.

Nikki: Saving me? I had it under control, I didn't need your help.

Natalie: Right.

Nina: Uh-oh, it looks like the only way to get the pride out of Nikki is to vanquish him.

(Natalie picks up the sin box.)

Natalie: Oh, who ordered the sweet sin balls?

Nina: I think he did.

(Natalie throws all the sin balls at Lucas.)

Lucas: What did you...?

(He falls into the pit. The pride sin comes out of Nikki and lands in the box.)

Nikki: Okay, whoa, what just happened?

Natalie: I think you just lost your pride. (Two more sin balls float into the box.) And these must be envy and anger. Which must mean the Pastor and cop are okay now.

(Natalie throws the sin box in the pit. Nikki taps the wand on the floor and the pit closes.)

Nikki: Okay.

(Nina picks up a crystal.)

Nina: Oh, wait a minute, is this another?

Leo: I don't think so.

Natalie: Maybe it's the business man's soul.

Nina: Oh, well, then you should release it some place nice.

(She hands it to Leo.)

Leo: I know the perfect place. (He orbs out.)

Nikki: Wow, we sure showed that demon. (Natalie smirks.) Okay, you guys sure showed that demon.

Nina: Thank you.

Nikki: So I guess I needed you guys a lot more than you needed me.

Natalie: No, we all needed each other. You got me back at the house, you saved the innocents...

Nikki: Yeah, but...

Nina: Uh, stop it, I don't like this humble Nikki, I want my real sister back.

Natalie: Me too.

Nikki: Well, I mean, I did save that Salesman from the pastor and the pastor from himself and I did also save that cop...

(She continues to ramble. Nina and Natalie walk away.)

[Scene: FOAM. Nina is at the bar. Nikki comes up to her and offers her a glass of wine.]

Nikki: Here you go.

Nina: Oh, no, no, no.

Nikki: Nina, it's okay to indulge, just don't over indulge.

Nina: I guess we can thank Lucas for teaching us anything in moderation.

(Kay and Johnny walk up. They had been filled in earlier and gave a decent excuse to VIP for Nikki. Johnny stands next to Nikki and puts his arm around her waist.)

Nikki: Hey, there was nothing that Lucas could teach me.

Nina: Oh, really?

Nikki: I'm doing it again, aren't I? That whole pride thing. I swear, I'm working on it.

Nina: It's a constant struggle.

Nikki: Here's one thing that I'm willing to admit I don't understand. You, and Natalie were able to get rid of your sins with a selfless act. I committed many selfless acts yet why did I have to wait for Lucas to be vanquished to get rid of my pride?

Nina: Well, Lucas said that pride was the one thing you can't beat.

****

Kay: I think maybe what he meant was there's no such thing as a selfless act to pride.

Nikki: I threw myself into a pit for the Pastor.

Johnny: Yeah, but you did that to win. So any good you did during your prideful state was for the greater glory of Nikki.

Nikki: Alright, fine, then here's to Leo, for saving me from eternal torment.

(They clink their glasses.)

Nina: Mm-hmm.

****

Johnny: I'll drink to that. Remind me to thank him for that later. (Nikki smiles)

(Natalie pushes past some people.)

Natalie: Excuse me. (She goes over to Nikki, Johnny, Nina and Kay.) Hi, I am so excited, and not in any sexual kind of way. Uh, recent events inspired me to write a paper on sexual politics, claiming that my indiscretion with Professor Kass was an ethical experiment. So I handed the paper in yesterday and... pause for dramatic effect...

Nikki: So, did he buy it?

Natalie: I got a B.

Nikki: Yay!

Natalie: Minus, but I got it fair and square which means I will be able to graduate. And no man, is going to stand in my way.

Nina: Congratulations.

(The rest of VIP joins them at the bar.)

Nikki: I am very proud of you.

Natalie: Oh, and coming from you.

Nikki: Hey, be nice, I don't even wanna think about the sin tonight.

Natalie: Me neither.

****

Val: Oh my god. I can't believe I ate so much earlier…and without even having a workout..

****

Nikki: Well, at least you learned your lesson.

****

Val: Your telling me.

****

Quick: So Nikki, do you often go rushing into hostage situations almost getting yourself killed?

****

Nikki: I'm having a very dangerous week.

****

Tasha: (raising an eyebrow) So you've almost got yourself killed more then once this week?

****

Nikki: It's no big. I'm indestructable.

****

Natalie/Nina: Nikki!

****

Nikki: Relax! I'm kidding! …this time anyways…

****

Nina: Don't even kid like that!

****

Natalie: Your gonna get yourself killed with that attitude of yours.

****

Nikki: I'm working on it! Relax, geez.

****

Johnny: Just no dieing anytime soon.

****

Nikki: I can promise that. But I have a thing for near death experiences.

(Nina and Natalie giggle. A slow song starts to play.)

****

Johnny: Come on.(He leads Nikki to the dance floor and they start to dance. Nikki puts her head on his shoulder.)

****

Val: Are they..?

****

Kay: Did they…?

****

Quick: No They couldn't of…could they…?

****

Nina/Natalie: Yes, yes and yes.

****

Kay: When?

****

Natalie: Last night. It was really sweet.

****

Quick: Took 'em long enough.


	11. A Charmed Apocalypse

**__**

Charmed 11

A/N: This is chapter is going to be a lot like Buffy. With some alterations. Warning: Character death.

[Scene: Nikki is in the attic.]

****

A voice: Nikki. (Her mom appears in front of her in a bright light.)

****

Nikki: Mum…What are you doing here? What's going on?

****

Nikki's Mom: Death is your gift.

****

Nikki: What?

****

Nikki's Mom: Death is your gift. Love will lead you to your gift.

****

Nikki: What are you talking about?!

(Nikki's mom disappears)

****

Nikki: Mom!

[Scene: Nikki's bedroom. The alarm goes off. Nikki sits up straight waking up.]

****

Nikki: It was just a dream. Just a dream. (she turns off her alarm and throws off the covers and gets out of bed.) I've just dealt with to many demons. That's all. I hope..

[Time lapse: The Kitchen. Nina is cooking and Nikki is poking at her food distracted. Natalie comes rushing in.]

****

Natalie: Overslept again!

****

Nina: Your breakfast is on the table. Nikki, honey, are you OK?

****

Nikki: What? Oh, I'm just a little distracted…I had a weird dream..

(Nina and Natalie sit down next to her)

****

Natalie: What was it about?

****

Nikki: Well, I was in the attic and mom appeared and she said that Death was my gift, and that love would lead me to my gift. 

****

Nina: What's that supposed to mean?

****

Nikki: I have no idea. I mean of all the gifts I could have had, Death?

****

Natalie: Is death even a gift?

****

Nikki: I don't know. (She stands up) I have to get to work. (She leaves before they can say anything)

[Scene: VIP. Four men are sitting at the table. Tasha, Val, Johnny, Quick, and Kay are talking to them.]

****

Man #1: I'm Dan, these are my associates Sam, Warren, and Fred. (They raise their hands respectively)

****

Val: Well, I'm Val Irons, this is Tasha. That's Kay. And Over there are Quick and Johnny. Nikki should be here soon.

****

Warren: We have a very important meeting tonight and we need some security.

****

Sam: You kniw, to make sure things go smoothly.

****

Tasha: We understand.

(Nikki enters)

****

Nikki: Sorry I'm late.

****

Val: It's ok. We were just talking to our new client. This is Dan, Sam, Fred, and Warren. They run Four. An investment firm. We're running a security thing at a meeting tonight.

****

Fred: We have to go now anyways. We have to prepare for the meeting. (The four men leave.)

****

Johnny: Are you okay Nik? You look out of it.

****

Nikki: I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night.

****

Tasha: We should go have a look around at The Four. Start to ste up security.

(They all agree and leave)

[Scene: The Four. Nikki and Johnny are going over the layout with Kay on her computer. Nikki's cell rings.]

****

Nikki: (answreing it) Hello?

****

Nina: We have a problem…

****

Nikki: Not another one…Can't you do it without me?

****

Nina: Not really. It's a prophecy. Something about a hellmouth, a sacrfice, flowing blood, and the end of the world. Leo orbed in a minute ago to tell us we had until tonight.

****

Nikki: I'm a little busy. We have to run security for a meeting tonight.

****

Nina: I'm sorry. I'll go ask the end of the world to wait another night.

****

Nikki: Fine, fine. I'll be there soon. (She hangs up) I have to go.

****

Kay: Another demon?

****

Nikki: The end of the world. (She grabs her jacket) Sorry to leave you like this, but these things are rather impatient and all..

****

Johnny: Do you save the world on a daily basis?

****

Nikki: I stop demons on a daily basis. I only save the world on a weekly basis.

****

Kay: Alright. We'll make an excuse for you.

****

Nikki: Thanks.

****

Johnny: Be careful.

****

Nikki: (She smiles) I will. (She leaves.)

(Tasha enters.)

****

Tasha: Where's Nikki?

****

Kay: Family emergency.

****

Johnny: She won't be here tonight either.

****

Tasha: Why am I not surprised?

[Scene: A headquarters of some sort. The four buisness men are there.]

****

Warren: Could you come up with stupider names?

****

Dan: Like we could have told them our real names. And it was on the spot.

****

Fred: Yeah, War, Strife, Death and Famine would raise some suspicions. 

****

Sam(Strife): Really? You think? We're only here to end the world.

****

Dan(Death): Oh shut up. Is he going to be here?

****

Fred(Famine): Yep. 

****

Warren(War): Nothing had better go wrong or else the Source will have our heads.

[Scene: The Manor. Living room. Nina and Natalie are there with Leo. Nikki enters.]

****

Nikki: Give me the abbreviated version.

****

Natalie: Apparently there's this thing called the hellmouth. Kind of like a link between our world and the underworld. There's a ritual that can only be performed tonight to rip the fabric seperating all worlds and it requires the blood of a whitelighter/witch. The merge will stop when the blood stops flowing.

****

Nikki: Except that there's a lot of blood in a person.

****

Nina: Yep.

****

Nikki: And it's our job to save the world…again.

****

Nina: Yep. Except Leo won't tell us how.

****

Nikki: (Sitting down) So we keep these people from cutting the sacrafice..

****

Natalie: I can try scrying for the hellmouth..

****

Nikki: Okay. Leo, do you know anything about the group that's going to try and end the world?

****

Leo: The four horsemen of the apocalypse.

****

Nina: I can't find them in the book of shadows. 

****

Nikki: Maybe no other Halliwell witches have come across them. 

****

Leo: You can't let the world end.

****

Nikki: We know that. 

(The book does it's page flipping thing and opens to the page about the hellmouth)

****

Nina: How does it do that? 

****

Natalie: I don't know, but what does it say?

****

Nina: It says that The Hellmouth literally means the mouth of hell..Its a center of mystical convergence, where supernatural things tend to happen more often like demons and warlocks and the general nasty people who like to kill us.

****

Nikki: Lovely

(Natalie stands up)

****

Natalie: I'm gonna go do that scry…(She goes upstairs)

****

Nikki: Nina, I'm gonna use your laptop and see if I can find anything on the four horseman from folklore and legends and myths. 

****

Nina: That's a good idea. I'm gonna keep going through the book to see if I can find anything useful. It may not have a vanquish, but a distraction would be nice.

****

Nikki: Okay. (Nikki goes upstairs)

[Cut to Natalie in the attic is scrying for the hellmouth.]

[Cut to Nina in the living room writing down the ingrediants for a few potions that may help.]

[Scene: Nikki is in the attic.]

****

A voice: Nikki. (Her mom appears in front of her in a bright light.)

****

Nikki: Mum…

****

Nikki's Mom: Death is your gift.

****

Nikki: You said that before,but what do you mean? 

****

Nikki's Mom: Love will lead you to your gift.

****

Nikki: What are you talking about?! Who's going to die? 

(Nikki's mom disappears)

****

Nikki: Mom! How is death a gift!?

[Scene: Manor. Natalie comes running down the stairs with the map. Nikki wakes up.]

****

Natalie: I found it! I found it!

(Nikki comes out of the kitchen yawning.)

****

Nikki: You found the hellmouth?

****

Natalie: Yes I did. Honey, are you OK?

****

Nikki: (She goes and sits on the couch) I fell asleep while I was reseaching the four horseman (Leo orbs in)…I had that dream again…

****

Nina: Oh honey..

****

Leo: What dream?

****

Nikki: I keep having this weird dream where mom comes to me and she keeps saying that Death is my gift, and that Love will lead me to my gift. Do you know what that means?

****

Leo: It sounds like something you need to figure out for yourself.

****

Nikki: I hate that.

****

Leo: Have you guys gotten anywhere?

****

Natalie: I found the hellmouth.

****

Nina: I have some potions that might be helpful in a plan of attack, and while I was writing one down the book did it's page flipping thing..

****

Natalie: I love that..

****

Nina: And it opened to a page detailing the ritual..

****

Nikki: I found a ton of articles on the four horsemen. Of course they all said the same thing. Probably why I fell asleep. So what's it say?

****

Nina: Nothing we don't already know… _The blood flows, the gates will open. The gates will close when it flows no more _I think the gates mean the walls between the worlds, and when the sacrafice is dead the walls will be put back up…but since the sacrafice is human that's too long

****

Nikki: The sacrafice is our innocent. We're not letting him or her die.

****

Leo: If the gates open we won't have a choice.

****

Nikki: No. Leo, there is always a choice.

****

Leo: There is a greater good involved.

****

Nikki: I'm not going to let our innocent die. 

****

Leo: Natalie, where's the hellmouth?

****

Natalie: Oh yeah. Well, I couldn't scry for the hellmouth exactly, so I did a scry for the four horsemen and they have to be close by right? (She sets the map on the table.) There.

(Nikki studies the location for a minute.)

****

Nikki: That has to be wrong.

****

Nina: Why?

****

Nikki: That's an investment firm. VIP is doing security there for a meeting tonight.

****

Nina: What firm is it?

****

Nikki: The Four….Oh my god…But why would they have asked VIP there?

****

Leo: Maybe they want VIP to make sure no one disturbs the ceremony?

****

Nikki: What time is it?

****

Nina: four-thirty, why?

****

Nikki: Alright. We have some time. Let's go make those potions of yours. (They get up and go to the kitchen.)

[Scene: With the VIP gang.]

****

Tasha: Okay, he'll be there soon. (She hangs up the phone) Johnny, Warren wants you to go up to the office to explain the security system.

****

Johnny: Ok. (he stands up) I'll be back soon. 

(He leaves)

[Scene: Back at the manor. Nina, Nikki and Natalie are making potions. Leo is there.]

****

Leo: All I'm saying is that if we're too late to keep the ritual from starting your gonna have to make a sacrafice.

****

Nikki: We are not sacraficing our innocent.

****

Leo: If you don't many more lives will be lost.

****

Nina: Why is it blood anyways?

****

Leo: Blood is life.

****

Nikki: It's always blood.

[Scene: Back at The Four. Johnny is walking down a hallway to go meet with the four men from before. A man jumps down from the ceiling behind him. Johnny turns around.]

****

Johnny: Where'd you come from? (The man aims a punch at Johnny's face but he ducks. While Johnny fights off the man another one comes from behind and hits him with the butt of an Athame knocking him out.)

****

Man #1: Why didn't he orb?

****

Man #2: It doesn't matter. (They pick up Johnny and carry him down to the basement.)

[Time lapse. Scene: Tasha, Val, Quick and Kay are waiting for Johnny.]

****

Quick: Where could he be?

****

Kay: Maybe it's taking longer than planned…

****

Val: This place is so big and confusing…maybe he got lost.

****

Tasha: He's not you Val.

(Val makes a face at Tasha.)

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Same as before.]

****

Nina: Do you really think this is going to work?

****

Natalie: I dodn't know..But Nikki's right, we can't sacrafice our innocent…

****

Nikki: I'm glad some…(She doesn't get a chance to finish her sentence because she collapses and loses conciousness.)

****

Nina/Natalie/Leo: Nikki! (They rush over to her to try and wake her up)

[Scene: Nikki is standing alone in the middle of the kitchen.]

****

Nikki: What the..? Where is everybody?

(A bright light flashes in front of her and Grams is standing there.)

****

Nikki: Grams? What's going on? Oh don't tell me…Death is my gift. And Love will lead me to my gift.

****

Grams: Love is like a dagger which leaves your soul to bleed.

****

Nikki: What? What is it with the supernatural and cryptic!?

(Grams disppears in a bright light.)

****

Nikki: Hey! Wait!

(The scenery fades into the basement of The Four building and Nikki can see Johnny chained up to a wall.)

****

Nikki: Johnny… (She runs over to him and puts her hand on his arm) Are you OK? (He doesn't answer. She looks confused and looks at her hand which is now covered in blood. She can now see slashes on his arm and stomach) Johnny!

[Scene: Back in the kitchen. Leo left to go ask the Elders what's going on. Nina and Natalie are sitting next to Nikki.]

****

Nikki: Johnny! (she sits up, almost knocking into Nina and Natalie. She looks around breathing heavily and scrambles up)

****

Nina: What is it?

****

Nikki: We have to go now!

****

Natalie: We can't go now, the potions aren't done.

****

Nikki: You don't understand! They have the sacrafice….it..it's Johnny.

****

Nina: Nikki, calm down…we'll save him..but we can't go rushing in unprepared..

****

Nikki: (calming down)Your right…as always..

[Scene: The basement. The two men who jumped Johnny from before are sitting at a table. Johnny is unconcious and chained to the wall. He starts to regain conciousness.]

****

Johnny: Wha..? (he realizes he's chained up and struggles against the chains) What's going on?

(The two men stand up and walk over to him.)

****

Man #1: Don't even bother to try and orb out of the chains, they're magic proof.

****

Johnny: Orb?

****

Man #2: Don't play dumb with us.

****

Johnny: What do you want with me?

****

Man #1: Why your going to help us end the world. Well, at least your blood is.

****

Johnny: I'm not helping you do anything.

****

Man #2: That's the beauty of this…it doesn't have to be willing.

[Time lapse: Hours later, Nina, Nikki, and Natalie are finished making potions. There are groups of different potions on the table. ]

****

Natalie: Okay, these is the potion to induce sleep, those one is to repel an evil threat and that one puts out a fire

****

Nikki: What kind of potion does that?

****

Natalie: That's water.

****

Nina: It might be useful. (She points another one) Okay, these create an 'obscuring mist'.

****

Nikki: These creates an explosion, and those scalds the skin. 

****

Natalie: And the last one freezes them, right?

****

Nina: Right.

****

Nikki: (Looks at her watch) It's eight now. We should get down to the firm. 

(They all grab some potions and leave.)

[Scene: Back with the VIP gang.]

****

Kay: Maybe we should look for Johnny…

****

Tasha: Your right. Let's split up. Kay you stay here in case he shows up.

****

Kay: Right. 

(The rest of the gang splits up to find Johnny)

[Scene: Val is searching down a hallway for Johnny, when she sees an open door. Her curiousity getting the best of her she goes into it and sees the four buisness men from before. She hides behind the wall and listens to their conversation.]

****

Dan(Death): We have two hours til' the ritual.

****

Warren(War): Is he ready?

****

Sam(Strife): Yes. Javna and Grickni are watching him.

****

Fred(Famine): Just make sure VIP doesn't get in the way. Why are they here anyways?

****

Sam(Strife): We needed to get him here somehow.

****

Fred(Famine): There had to have been other ways.

****

Warren(War): You weren't exactly volunteering any ideas earlier.

****

Dan(Death): Oh stop arguing. We have an apocalypse to arrange.

****

Val: (hushed) Oh no..(she turns and runs out, but knocks some boxes over) 

****

Dan(Death): What was that?

****

Warren(War): Probably just some rat demons.

[Cut to Val running down the hall]

****

Val: This is bad, this is bad, this is bad. (She finally makes it back to Kay) Kay! Kay! Your not going to believe what I just heard!

****

Kay: What?

****

Val: The guys we're working for are trying to end the world!

****

Kay: Oh my god!

[Scene: Quick is walking down the hall Johnny had been in earlier when he sees the basement door open.]

****

Quick: Now why would that door be open..(He goes inside and goes downstairs. He sees the two men sitting at a table and Johnny chained to a wall.) Excuse me. (he pulls out his gun) I believe you two were about to let my fiend here go.

[Time lapse. Quick is now chained next to Johnny.]

****

Johnny: (sarcastically) Thanks for the rescue.

****

Quick: Oh shut up.

[Scene: Tasha is walking down another hallway, when her cell rings. She answers it.]

****

Tasha: Hello?

****

Kay: We have another problem.

****

Tasha: What is it?

****

Kay: I think you should come back. 

****

Tasha: Fine.

[Time lapse: Tasha walks up to Kay and Val.]

****

Tasha: Well?

****

Val: The guys that hired us are very bad people.

****

Tasha: What are you talking about?

****

Val: Well, I was going down the hall looking for Johnny, and I saw and open door and snuck in and listened to them talk about some sort of ritual to end the world. And they needed a guy for it. Which is why they hired us. At first I thought it was Johnny but..

****

Tasha: But?

****

Kay: I can't reach Quick.

****

Tasha: Oh..

[Scene: The basement.]

(Some more men come downstairs and they head towards Johnny and Quick)

****

Javna: It's time.

(They unchain Johnny and Quick and start to drag them out.)

[Scene: Back with Kay, Val and Tasha. Leo, Nina, Nikki, and Natalie come running in)

****

Nikki: What time is it?

****

Nina: Eight-thirty.

****

Nikki: That doesn't leave much time…

****

Kay: Nikki!

(The three sisters go over)

****

Natalie: Will this take long because we're short on time?

****

Kay: The guys that hired us are trying to end the world.

****

Nina/Nikki/Natalie: We know.

****

Tasha: I thought you had a family emergency..

****

Nikki: I'll go back to dealing with when we're done here.

****

Val: Quick and Johnny are missing.

****

Nikki: Damnit. I told you.

****

Natalie: I'm still confused on that a bit….I mean Johnny knows about us… wouldn't he have told us, or at least Nikki, about himself?

****

Leo: It's possible he's unaware…

****

Nikki: It doesn't matter right now. 

****

Leo: Maybe, if we're too late to stop the ritual from starting…Nina or Natalie should stop it…

****

Nikki: We're not sacraficing Johnny.

****

Leo: Your letting your feelings get in the way.

****

Nikki: Leo.

****

Leo: What?

****

Nikki: Shove it.

****

Tasha: What are you talking about?

****

Nikki: Kay can explain.

****

Nina: We have to go save the world.

****

Nikki: First we have to find out where they're doing the ritual…

[Scene: A huge metal tower, basically build out of scaffolding. It stretches into the air above the firm. Johnny is chained up and standing at the end of the platform with the city lights behind and below him. Quick is chained nearby.]

****

Johnny: Unfortunetly I think I know why I'm here, but why is he here?

****

Grickni: To watch. It's always amusing to watch people watch their friends die.

****

Quick: Your not going to get away with this.

****

Javna: We already have.

[Back with Kay, Val, Tasha, Nina, Nikki, Natalie and Leo. Kay breifly explained about them being witches while the sisters tried to figure out where they need to be. The four horsemen come walking out.]

****

Death: We have to go. We should be back shortly.

****

War: Just make sure that the meeting isn't diturbed.

****

Famine: We'll be back before it starts.

****

Nikki: (Cutting off Tasha who was going to tell them off) Yes sir. (The four men leave)

****

Tasha: Your just letting them leave?

****

Nikki: I'm following them. 

****

Natalie: You're a genious!

****

Nina: Stay here.

(The four leave following the four horsemen.)

****

Tasha: I'm following them

****

Kay: It could be dangerous…I've seen some of the stuff they deal with..

****

Tasha: If these people have Quick and Johnny, it's our buisness.

****

Val: I'll come with you.

****

Kay: (reluctantly) I'm going with.

****

Tasha: Kay, you don't have to.

****

Kay: I'm not staying here by myself.

(They leave following the sisters.)

[Scene: The courtyard below the platform. The four Horsemen are about to go up the stairs. Nikki throws an exploding potion in front of them blowing them away from the stairs. The three sisters and Leo stand out in the open. Tasha, Val and Kay are hiding behind some bushes watching. ]

****

Nikki: I don't think so.

****

Death: What are you doing?

****

Nina: We're saving the world,

****

Natalie: and kicking your ass.

****

Strife: Who do you think you are?

****

Nikki: You can refer to us as the Charmed Ones.

****

War: We don't have time for this. (He waves his arm and they all go flying into a brick wall. The four turn and start for the stairs again.)

****

Nina: No way! (She uses her power to fling them away from the stairs)

****

Famine: Feisty little things you are, but we don't have time for you! (The two groups run at each other and start fighting. Fists, legs, potions and people go flying.)

(Strife slips away from the fight and goes for the stairs. Natalie sees him and throws a freezing potion at him.)

****

Natalie: Ah ah ah. (Strife becomes covered in a thin layer of ice and can't move)

****

War: I've had enough of you potions! (He waves his arm and the potions in their hands go flying into the wall.)

****

Natalie: (Whispering to the other two) That was my last potion…

****

Nikki/Nina: (whispering) Mine too.

****

Natalie: Crap…

(Strife unfreezes, and being pissed off throws them into the wall again.)

****

Tasha: (Jumping out of the bushes with her gun) Hold it right there!

****

Nina/Nikki/Natalie: You followed us?! 

(While the girls are ditracted Death starts to run up the stairs)

****

Leo: Girls!

****

Nikki: I'll get him! (She runs up after him)

****

War: This mortal thinks that weapon can hurt us?

****

Strife: (laughing) She's not to bright is she?

(Tasha fires several shots at the three remaining horsemen. They have no effect.)

****

Tasha: What the hell?

****

War: Now it's my turn! (He uses his power and Tasha goes flying)

(Natalie suddenly realizes something)

****

Natalie: Nina! I can't believe how stupid I am!

****

Nina: This isn't the time to realize your faults.

****

Natalie: Ha ha. No remember the pell we wrote to vanquish the Source if he attacks?

****

Nina: Oh my god your right! But we need the power of three and Nikk's busy…

****

Natalie: We'll have to make do til' she gets back…

(An all out fight ensues)

[Cut to Nikki and Death. He's made it to the top of the platform. Grickni gives him his Athame to start the ritual.]

****

Death: Time for you to die and take the world with you.

****

Johnny: Go to hell.

****

Death: I'd prefer to bring it here.

(Nikki makes it to the top of the stairs)

****

Nikki: I'd like to launch a protest. (She kicks the Athame out of his hand.)

****

Quick: Nikki! You have impeccable timing!

(Nikki goes to make a comment when Death uses his power to fling her into a nearby bar.)

****

Death: You can't stop me!

****

Nikki: Wanna bet? (she freezes the platform. Quick freezes but no one else.) Well, crap. (She unfreezes Quick because there's no point.) I'm gonna have to do this the hard way..

****

Death: Are you done with your little parlor tricks? (Quick looks confused)

****

Nikki: Not quite…(She pulls out her last potion) I lied before..(she throws it at him) I'll just freeze you the hard way. (Death freezes, Along with Javna and Grickni who were standing nearby.) That should buy me some time. (she goes over to Johnny and tries to undo his chains) A whitelighter/witch huh? You didn't divulge this information why?

****

Johnny: Okay. I'm getting sick of that. Why is everybody calling me that?

****

Nikki: I'll explain if there's a later. Damnit! I can't get these chains undone. 

****

Death: Your out of time.

****

Nikki: I'll be right back.. (she runs at Death but instead of tackling him she jumps up and grabs the bar above her kicking him off the platform and jumps down.)

****

Death: (falling) start the ceremony you fools! 

(Javna sneaks up behind Nikki and pushes her off the edge)

****

Johnny/Quick: Nikki!!!

[Cut to the battle. Val and Kay have joined in.]

(Leo looks up as he hears Nikki scream. He orbs to her and orbs her safely to the ground)

****

Nikki: Thanks. 

(Nina and Natalie run to here)

****

Natalie: Quick, the Source vanquish!

****

Nina/Nikki/Natalie: _Pruedence, Penelope, Patricia, Melinda,   
Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace,   
Halliwell witches stand strong beside us!  
Vanquish this evil from time and space!_

(They repeat it, vanquishing the four horsemen.)

****

Nina: We did it!

****

Nikki: I have to get up there! There's still some demons up there that can start the ritual…

(The people from the firm come out and attack)

[Cut to back on the platform]

(Javna pulls out his Athame and Grickni retrieves his from the ground. They advance on Johnny)

****

Javna: This is going to hurt a bit. (He slashes Johnny's arm. Johnny chokes back a scream)

[Cut back to the courtyard. The people are easy vanquishes, but there are so many it's taking too long.]

[Cut back to the platform.]

****

Grickni: My turn. (he slashes Johnny's stomach. Johnny can't hold back his scream.)

[Cut back to the courtyard.]

****

Nikki: I have to get up there! Leo! (She looks to see Leo is busy with demons of his own)

****

Leo: I'd help but I can't pull myself away…

(Nikki makes a run for the stairs and sprints up them)

[Cut back to the platform.]

****

Quick: Johnny!

****

Javna/Grickni: Let the blood flow..

(Johnny's blood drips over his toes at the edge of the platform. In midair they meet something, and a small circle of light appears, quickly growing.)

****

Nikki: Johnny! (She runs over and quickly Kicks Javna and Grickni out of the way sending them over the platform.)

****

Quick: Your alive!?

(Nikki whispers a quick spell and breaks the chains, leading Johnny away from the platform towards the entrance.)

****

Nikki: Quick, you can break you chains now.

(Quick does so. Johnny stops and turns around)

****

Nikki: Go!

****

Johnny: It's started…

(Nikki turns and they can both see the light of the portal. The portal is growing ever larger. A bolt of lightning opens an enormous hole in the middle of the street. People scream and run away. The portal crackles and sends out lightning. a large building gets hit by lightning and burning to a shell in instants. Weird demon creatures in the walls of the building, screaming in pain.)

****

Quick: I'm not going to ask for an explanation, but how do you stop it?

****

Nikki: (Quietly) The gates will close when it flows no more…

****

Johnny: (pained)When what flows no more?

****

Nikki: Blood…

[Cut to the courtyard]

(Leo, Nina, Natalie, Kay, Tasha, and Val have regrouped.)

****

Leo: (Looking up.) She was too late…

****

Kay: You mean..the world is ending?

****

Val: Isn't there a way to stop it?

****

Leo: It was triggered by the blood of a whitelighter/witch, and it can be stopped when the blood stops flowing…

****

Tasha: but Nikki' refuses to sacrafice Johnny…

(Leo nods solemnly)

****

Nina: Then this is it…

****

Val: No…Nikki will figure out a way to stop it…she's not just going to let the world end like this..

[Scene: Nikki is in the attic.]

****

A voice: Nikki. (Her mom appears in front of her in a bright light.)

****

Nikki: Mum…What are you doing here? What's going on?

****

Nikki's Mom: Death is your gift.

****

Nikki: What?

****

Nikki's Mom: Death is your gift. Love will lead you to your gift.

****

Nikki: What are you talking about?!

(Nikki's mom disappears)

****

Nikki: Mom!

[Scene: Back at the platform. Nikki snaps out of her reverie.]

****

Quick: But that would mean…

****

Johnny: Then I have to jump..

****

Nikki: No! There has to be another way…just give me a minute to think!

(Flashback: Scene: Nikki is in the kitchen with Grams)

****

Grams: Love is like a dagger which leaves your soul to bleed.

(Flashback: Scene: Nikki is underwater being pulled down and she's getting to weak to keep trying to get to the top)

****

A voice: Nikki, Nikki. You must face your fears, Nikki. You must trust in the greatest of all powers. Love.

(Scene: Nikki is in the attic with her Mom.)

****

Nikki's Mom: Death is your gift. Love will lead you to your gift.

(End flashbacks.)

****

Nikki:…I get it…

****

Johnny: Get what?

(She pulls her sleeve back and grabs a fallen Athame then slashes her arm.)

****

Quick: Nikki! Isn't there enough blood around here? I'm gonna be sick..

(She turns to Johnny and takes his wounded arm and presses the wounds together.)

****

Johnny: What are you doing?

****

Nikki: Saving the world. (she pulls her arm away.)

****

Johnny: I don't get it…

(Nikki puts her hand on his cheek.)

****

Quick: Hello? World ending? Should you be flirting? (also clueless to what's going on)

(Nikki pulls Johnny closer and kisses him passionately.)

****

Nikki: I love you. Tell the others that I love them….and, tell Leo I figured it out and, and that I'm fine. The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. You all have to be strong, and live, for me. 

****

Johnny: (Catching on) Nikki! No! I love you! You can't do this!

(Nikki goes over to Quick and hugs him)

Quick: Nikki, you can't be serious!

****

Nikki: This is what I'm meant to do…

(Nikki turns and runs to the end of the platform and swan dives into the portal)

****

Johnny: NOO!!

****

Quick: Nikki!

[Cut to the courtyard. They look up as they hear Johnny yell.]

****

Tasha: What's going on!?

[Cut to the platform. Quick is holding Johnny back from the platform. Johnny is hyterical. The portal shrinks to nothingness and disappears.]

****

Johnny: No! No! Nikki! Let me go! (becoming less hysterical, tears are streaming down his face) Nikki can't be dead..she promised…(quietly) she promised me she wouldn't die…

[Cut to the courtyard. Quick is helping Johnny down the stairs. The demons are gone. And the group that had been on the ground are staring at a fixed point. Quick and Johnny look to see what they're staring at.]

(Nikki's lifeless body is lying on the ground. Nina, Natalie, Val and Kay are sobbing openly and the rest all have tears streaming down their faces.)

****

Natalie: (hysterical) Leo! Heal her! Heal her! Leo!

****

Leo: (quietly) I can't heal the dead…

(Natalie drops to the ground sobbing)

[Scene: graveyard, day. It's sunny and pretty with lots of trees and grass. A small bunch of flowers lies on the grass in front of a gravestone.]

The headstone reads: 

Nikki Charlotte Franco-Halliwell  
1972 - 2002  
BELOVED SISTER  
DEVOTED FRIEND  
SHE HELPED SAVE THE WORLD A LOT 


	12. Charmed Again

**__**

Charmed 12

~*~

[Time Line: About a month after Nikki's death. Nina, Natalie and Leo are teaching Johnny how to control his powers and he's sort of taken Nikki's place in the vanquishing, but the power of three is incomplete. VIP and the two remaining sisters have also become close friends.]

[Scene: Manor. Nina, Johnny, Natalie and a doctor run inside.]

Natalie: Okay, I think we made it. I'm sure we made it. Do you think we made it?

Nina: I don't know.

Johnny: I think he would've attacked by now if we hadn't.

Doctor: Who? Who would've attacked? Why won't you tell me what's going on?

Natalie: Because we're busy trying to save your life.

Doctor: From who?

Nina: Uh, unfortunately we're not quite sure.

Johnny: That's because Natalie did not give us time to figure it out.

Natalie: Well, I didn't have a lot of time, I mean, I can't control how far in the future my premonitions take place. I saw the attack; we kicked butt, what more do you want?

Johnny: I would like to know more about who we are up against.

Nina: Okay, Natalie, maybe you should check the Book of Shadows, see if you can find anything else on this demonic hit man, okay?

Doctor: Excuse me, demonic?

Johnny: And how to vanquish him, which would be a good thing to know. 

(Natalie turns and heads up the stairs.)

****

Doctor: What the hell are you talking about? First you tell me my life's in danger, and then you abduct me from my work, now you're talking about demons and witches. Who the hell are you people?

Nina: Look, I know that this all sounds incredible, but it doesn't make it any less true. Alright, you're a healer, you do good, now either you have saved too many lives or you're about to save a life that they don't want you to save.

Doctor: They?

Nina: Yeah, demons. Uh, more specifically, Shax. He was the Source's assassin.

Doctor: Hold it, I get it. This is a practical joke, right? Do you have a hidden camera here? My second wife put you up to this? Ah, it's just like her. (He laughs.)

Nina: O-o-okay, Dr. Griffiths, listen to me, this is anything but...

(She stops.)

Johnny: What?

Nina: I don't know, I just felt a chill. Natalie?

Natalie: (from upstairs) Alright, alright, I'm coming!

(A tornado of wind twists through the front door.)

Johnny: Natalie!

Nina: Natalie!

(The tornado flies through the foyer and knocks Nina and Johnny to the floor. A clap of thunder is heard, and the tornado calms down and Shax appears. He is a tall demon and is gray all over. Gray long hairs, gray skin, gray unbuttoned shirt and gray long pants.)

Doctor: Dear god.

Nina: No!

(Nina gets up off the floor and pushes the Doctor out of the way. Shax throws an energy ball at Nina and she literally crashes straight through a wall.)

Johnny: Nina!

(Johnny gets up and Shax throws an energy ball at Johnny, sending him crashing through a wall. Shax turns to the Doctor.)

Doctor: What are you?

Shax: The end.

(Natalie comes down the stairs, holding a piece of paper.)

Natalie: "_Evil wind that blows, that which forms below, (cracks of thunder are heard) no longer may you dwell,_ (Shax groans) _death takes you with this spell."_ (Shax turns back into the wind and disappears outside. Natalie sees Nina and Johnny.) Oh, no. (She goes over to them. They are unconscious and bleeding.) Oh, god. Leo! Leo! (Leo orbs in.) Hurry, it's bad.

(Leo kneels down beside them and places his left hand above Nina and his right hand above Johnny. He starts to heal them. After a moment the blood disappears and they are completely healed. They wake up and groan in pain.)

Nina: Ahh, what happened?

Leo: You guys almost died, that's what happened.

Johnny: Yeah, well, what else is new?

Nina: Oh, where's Shax?

Natalie: Well, I tried to use the vanquishing spell on him but I think it just wounded him. He turned into the wind.

Nina: Maybe the spell needs more than one witch to have its full impact. Okay, come on.

(Nina gets up and then helps Johnny up.)

Natalie: (She looks a little guilty towards Johnny) I hate to say this…but I think it needs the power of three…

****

Johnny: You're probably right…

****

Nina: We'll figure something else out, in the meantime the spell at least weakens him.

[Time Lapse: Manor. Conservatory. Nina, Natalie and the Doctor are sitting on the cane chairs. Johnny walks in holding a glass of water, and hands it to the Doctor.]

Doctor: Thank you.

(He takes a sip.)

Natalie: Now you understand why you have to keep this a secret? Why you can't tell anyone about us, about what you saw today.

Nina: If others knew, we wouldn't be able to do what we do anymore. We wouldn't be able to help future innocents like we helped you.

Doctor: No, I understand. I mean, I don't understand everything. Demons, witches, the Source. So much for being an atheist. Your secret is safe with me.

Natalie: Thank you.

Doctor: No, thank you. You saved my life; the least I can do is protect yours.

Natalie: Okay, I'll walk you to the door.

(Natalie and the Doctor stand up.)

Nina: Bye.

(They leave the room. Leo walks in.)

Leo: How'd it go?

Johnny: We dodged another bullet.

Nina: Yeah, with him maybe.

Leo: What do you mean?

(Natalie walks back in. She sits back down.)

****

Nina: What are we going to do?

[Scene: Nikki, wide-eyed and gasping. She's inside her coffin. She looks around, panting, with an expression of extreme fear.]

(Nikki pounds frantically on the sides, tries to scream but no sound comes out. She looks terrified. She continues pounding, bangs on the inner lid just inches from her face. She begins to rip away the cloth that covers the inside of the lid. She grunts with exertion as the cloth rips.)

[Scene: Back at the manor.]

****

Johnny: I uh I should get to work. 

****

Natalie: Right. Right. We'll tackle the book of shadows and see if we can find something.

****

Johnny: Okay. Bye.

(Johnny leaves)

****

Nina: Is there anything to find in the Book of Shadows?

****

Natalie: (Looking guilty) No…It's definitely a power of three spell…

****

Nina: But there's no power of three…

****

Natalie: What are we going to do?

****

Nina: Hope we can keep one step ahead of Shax and just keep weakening him when he attacks an innocent…

****

Natalie: I think I need some fresh air. Want to go for a walk?

(Nina nods and the two grab their jackets and leave.)

(Cut to Nikki still ripping the cloth from the coffin. She bangs her hands against the lid, punches it and her fist goes through the wood. Dirt begins to rain down on her as she pulls at the wood, widening the hole.)

[Scene: VIP. Johnny enters.]

****

Val: Hey Johnny.

****

Quick: How goes this witch thing?

****

Johnny: Hey. It's OK…But there's a new demon..(He sits down) And he can't be vanquished without the power of three.

****

Kay: And without Nikki…

****

Tasha: There has to be a way. These…Elder people that you guys are always talking don't sound like they would leave things this way. There has to be some other way.

****

Val: I don't get it. If Nikki's love and that blood oath thing let her take your place when your blood was needed to save the world, then shouldn't your love for her let you take her place in the power of three? I mean you have some of her blood too now don't you?

****

Tasha: Val, I'm scared that sounded logical..

(Val glares at Tasha)

****

Johnny: We tried that and apparently it didn't work.

****

Quick: She was trying to save your life. There's probably a big difference.

[Cut to Nikki's grave. Suddenly a hand bursts out from below, then another hand, then Nikki's head and shoulders. She gasps for air, pulls herself up onto the grass, lies there panting. She looks around at the dark forest, very fearfully.]

[Scene: The park. Nina and Natalie are walking down a path.]

****

Nina: I don't see how the elders can just leave things like this. I mean we were the Charmed Ones, a major force for good in this whole struggle thing.

****

Natalie: I don't understand either.

[Scene: Back at VIP.]

****

Val: Wouldn't it be cool, if she just came back? Like nothing happened?

****

Tasha: Val, people don't just come back from the dead.

****

Val: You also said that there was no such thing as magic. 

****

Johnny: (Standing up) You guys don't mind if I go take a walk do you?

****

Quick: No, you go.

****

Johnny: Alright. Bye.

(Johhny leaves)

****

Quick: Poor guy. This has to be so hard.

****

Val: It's so sad. I hope he'll be okay…

[Scene: Continued before with Nikki.]

(Nikki slowly gets to her feet, turns and stares at the headstone with her name on it. She frowns in confusion, then her eyes widen in shock as she gets it.)

[Cut to downtown. Nikki walks down the street and stares at things. Nikki wears black dress pants with a black top and black high-heeled boots.] 

(From Nikki's point of view. Everything is blurry.)

(She continues walking, squinting and frowning at the burning cars. 

She stops walking to stare at a car. A man on his motorcycle goes roaring past, throws something as he goes by. Nikki watches him go, and backs away.)

[Scene: At the park with Nina and Natalie.]

****

Natalie: I miss her.

****

Nina: I do too.

(A clap of thunder is heard, and the tornado calms down and Shax appears.)

****

Shax: I hope I didn't keep you waiting to long.

****

Nina: You have horrible timing.

****

Shax: It's a gift. (He throws an energy ball)

(Nina is ready this time and uses her power to fling it back at him before it can hit her.)

[Scene: Johnny is walking down a path in the park thinking when he hears some yelling.]

****

Johnny: What the…(He runs towards the sound and fins Nina, Natalie and Shax.)

****

Shax: Oh, it's you.

****

Natalie: Johnny!

****

Nina: I'm glad you're here! (She uses her powers and throws Shax into a tree, and the three regroup.)

****

Johnny: Do we have a plan?

****

Nina/Natalie: …

[Scene: VIP]

****

Val: I'm worried about Johnny.

****

Quick: He's just going through a tough time. He'll pull through.

****

Val: No I mean he isn't back yet.

****

Kay: You don't suppose he ran into a demon?

****

Tasha: If he did he can handle it himself.

****

Val: I'm still worried.

(Leo orbs in)

****

Leo: There's trouble…

****

Val: I told you!

****

Tasha: Val, Shush.

****

Leo: Nina, Natalie and Johnny are fighting Shax, but they can't vanquish him without the power of three.

****

Tasha: What can we do? We don't have any powers.

****

Leo: I hate to ask this..but serve as cannon fodder. The vanquish spell does weaken Shax even without the power of three but they're to busy fighting to say the spell…

****

Val: So you want us to distract him?

****

Leo: Basically..

****

Val: Ok!

****

Leo: Everybody join hands. I'll orb you there.

(Evereyone joins hands and orbs out)

[Scene: Back at the park. Leo and VIP orb in.]

****

Quick: Whoa…Give my stomach a minute to get back to normal…

****

Leo: You'll eventually get used to it.

****

Shax: Who the hell are you?

****

Val: We're VIP!

****

Shax: Your mortals.

****

Tasha: I think I'm offended.

(Shax throws an energy ball at the gang)

****

Johnny: Energy ball! (The ball orbs into Johnny's hand and he throws it back at Shax, who sidesteps it.)

****

Val: That's pretty cool…

****

Tasha: (Rolls her eyes) Val…(She pulls out her gun and fires at Shax)

****

Nina: Haven't they learned that those don't work?

****

Leo: Just say the spell..

****

Natalie: I don't have it…

****

Leo: What!?

[Cut back to Nikki whose wandering along the streets when she sees a bright flash and goes toward it. Everything from her point of view is still blurry.]

[Cut back to the fight. Tasha and Quick are shooting at Shax but the bullets aren't doing anything but annoying him. Natalie is trying to remember the spell and Nina and Johnny are redirecting the energy balls.]

****

Val: This is so not good!

(Nikki comes stumbling up behind the gang.)

****

Shax: You? Wait! Aren't you dead?

****

Everyone minus Nikki and Shax: Who? (They turn around to see Nikki standing there, looking disoriented)

****

Johnny: (softly) Nikki….

(Nikki looks confused and frightened)

****

Shax: It doesn't matter…I'll just kill you now. (He throws an energy ball at Nikki)

(Nikki instinctively raises her hands like she would to freeze Shax, but he explodes instead. Nina uses her power to redirect the remaining energy away from Nikki.)

****

Natalie: Nikki! (She runs over to her and everyone else follows)

****

Tasha: But..this is impossible..

****

Val: I knew it!

****

Nina: But how…?

****

Leo: I'll go ask the elders. (He orbs out)

****

Johnny: Nikki!

(Nikki looks frightened and turns and runs away)

****

Val: Nikki!

(The group runs after her)

[Cut to: Shot of the tower from afar.]

  
[Cut to the top. Nikki stands at the end of the platform looking down. We hear creaking noises. 

Shot of the view from the platform. The ground below is just an open space.] 

(Nikki frowns slightly.) 

[Flashback of Johnny's blood dripping, opening the hole in midair, lightning flashing.]

  
[Flashback of Nikki running down the platform, swan-diving into the thing.]

[Cut back to now. Nikki stands staring, presses her eyes shut tightly.]

[Cut to the ground below the tower. Nina, Natalie, Johnny, Tasha, Val, Quick and Kay are there.]

****

Natalie: Why would she come here?

****

Nina: I don't know…

****

Johnny: I'll orb up and get her…

(They nod and Johnny orbs out)

[Cut to the top with Nikki. Her eyes are still closed]

****

Johnny:(Flashback) Nikki! No! I love you! You can't do this!

  
**Nikki:**(now) This is what I'm meant to do…

  
**Johnny:** (now) Nikki? 

(Nikki frowns, opens her eyes, turns. Johnny is standing at the other end of the platform, in the little arch at the top of the tower.)

****

Johnny: Nikki?

(Nikki looks apprehensively at him.)

****

Johnny: Nikki… how....

(Nikki frowns at him in confusion.)

****

Johnny: Is it you? I mean really? 

****

Nikki: Is this hell…?

****

Johnny: It was without you…

****

Nikki: …Johnny?

****

Johnny: It's me. (He holds out his hand) Come away from the edge…

****

Nikki: (Hesitates and looks down at the ground)

****

Johnny: (Taking a step closer) Nikki….

(She looks up again and takes his hand. He leads her safely away from the edge of the platform. He hugs her.)

****

Johnny: I've missed you. (He pulls away slightly and kisses her) Don't ever do that again.

[Scene: Manor. Nikki's showered and changed. She's sitting on the couch with Johnny who has his arms wrapped her waist. Everyone is crowded around her.]

****

Tasha: How in the hell is it possible that you're alive?

****

Nina: Are you hungry?

****

Val: Maybe you want something to drink…

****

Natalie: How did you blow up Shax?

****

Johnny: Guys, would you back off a little? She has been dead for a month…

****

Nikki: It's ok…I am kind of hungry though..

****

Nina: I'll go make you a sandwich. (She gets up and goes to the kitchen)

(Leo orbs in)

****

Natalie: Leo! Did you figure out why Nikki's back?

****

Leo: They sent her back…

****

Tasha: What?

****

Leo: They didn't want to leave the power of three broken.

****

Quick: They can do that?

****

Nikki: Apparently.

(Nina enters with a sandwich and a glass of water and hands it to Nikki)

****

Nikki: Thanks.

****

Nina: I guess we shouldn't be surprised. We did suck without Nikki here, and we did vanquish plenty of demons with the power of three.

****

Nikki: Why didn't they tell me before they sent me back?

****

Leo: They wouldn't say…

****

Natalie: Typical.

****

Val: What do you mean?

****

Nina: They always with hold the useful information.

****

Johnny: I'm just glad she's back.

****

Val: So, do you know where you were?

****

Nikki: What?

****

Val: I mean, was there an afterlife, like heaven or hell?

****

Nikki: uh…

****

Val: I mean it not everyday that some one comes back from the dead…

****

Nikki: I..uh..Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm uh really tired and I'd kinda just like to go to sleep….

****

Nina: Yeah.

****

Natalie: Night.

(Nikki stands up)

****

Nikki: Night…( she goes upstairs)

****

Tasha: (Giving Val a look)

****

Val: What did I do?

****

Nina: It's ok. It's not Val's fault.

****

Natalie: I don't think it's something she would want to remember.

****

Kay: What are you talking about?

****

Nina: She did jump into a portal to hell….

[Cut to the upstairs. Nikki is leaning on the wall next to the stairs where the gang can't see listening to the conversation]

****

Kay: You think she was in hell?

****

Johnny: That could be why she doesn't want to talk about it…

****

Val: I guess I shouldn't have said anything…

****

Tasha: You think?

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. The next day. Nina and Natalie are making breakfast.]

****

Natalie: I guess the elders aren't that bad…I mean they did send Nikki back to us.

****

Nina: It's good to have her back. Life can get back to normal soon.

****

Natalie: Do you think she'll eventually get back to normal? I mean I can't imagine what she must have gone through down there…

****

Nina: If anyone can get through this, Nikki can.

(Nikki enters)

****

Nikki: I can what?

****

Nina: You can make toast.

****

Nikki: I can make more than toast…

****

Nina: (Tossing Nikki the bread) I know that, but you can make toast today.

****

Nikki: (sarcastically) Oh yay…(She goes over to the toaster)

****

Natalie: So, how you feeling this morning Nik?

****

Nikki: Not quite as disoriented…

****

Natalie: That's good to hear.

[Scene: VIP.]

****

Val: I still feel bad about last night…

****

Kay: You couldn't have known…

****

Tasha: Nikki will be okay.

****

Johnny: I can't imagine what she must have gone through…

[Cut to Nikki standing outside the doors.]

(She decides instead to go take a walk in the park.)

[Scene: The park from the night before. Nikki is walking down an empty path. Leo walks up behind her.]

****

Leo: You okay?

(Nikki turns around startled.)

****

Nikki: Oh it's you. You scared me. 

****

Leo: Sorry..

****

Nikki: It's ok.

****

Leo: You didn't answer my question. You okay?

****

Nikki: Oh I'm just great. I was dead for a month and now I'm not, what could be wrong?

****

Leo: Nikki…

****

Nikki: Okay, so I'm not all that great…

****

Leo: You know, whatever happened down there…You can talk to me…

****

Nikki: That's the thing Leo. I wasn't down there. 

****

Leo: You were in heaven…

****

Nikki: Everybody thinks I was in hell and that this is such a huge blessing to be back, that I'm saved from god knows what. I mean up there I was happy, I was done, no more demons, no more warlocks

****

Leo: Why don't you tell them the truth?

****

Nikki: I can't…They're all so happy now that I'm back. I don't want them to think that I don't want to be here with them…That would hurt them…that would hurt Johnny…and I can't do that… 

****

Leo: So what are you going to tell them?

****

Nikki: I'm not going to tell them, and neither are you.

****

Leo: But..

****

Nikki: Leo.

****

Leo: Fine.

[Scene: VIP. Nikki enters.]

****

Nikki: Hey.

****

Johnny: (Smiling) Hey.

****

Val: Nikki!

****

Quick: How you feeling?

****

Nikki: Better. (She goes and sits down.)

[Scene: The underworld. Source's Chamber's. Shax is there.]

****

The Source: You failed me. AGAIN!

****

Shax: It's not my fault…It was the third sister…

****

The Source: The third sister is dead!

****

Shax: I thought so too. But she came and blew me up.

****

The Source: (To a random demon guy) Go check the witches grave. (Random Demon Guy disappears.) The third sister freezes demons, she can't blow them up.

****

Shax: It had to have been her.

****

Random Demon Guy: (Shimmering in) Sir, it's true…The witch is back…

****

The Source: Then the Power of Three is unbroken. Attack the witches when not all three of them are together, and kill them. And don't fail me.

****

Shax: Yes sir. 


End file.
